Four Seasons
by AlisonLydon
Summary: Part II of a III part trilogy. Drake & Josh are seniors in high school. PART II IS NOW COMPLETED. Please read and review.
1. Back to School

**Four Seasons**

**A Drake & Josh fan-fic created for the older fan (ages 17-adult)**

**A short story by Alison Lydon**

**Told in both the first and third person formats.**

**Lead characters:**

**Drake Parker & Josh Nichols**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Summary from Thursday's Tears as well as what's to come **

**here:**

**Drake Parker: **Is determined to make his relationship with Torey go beyond from just

a high school romance. He still has his part time job at Guitar World as well as the gigs

with his band. He could care less about high school, but would never drop out, as it

would disappoint Audrey and Walter. The only thing he likes about high school is

spending time with his girlfriend and sometimes Josh. He also wants more privacy in

his life and hopes that Josh will understand.

A new transfer student steals the popularity Drake had before he insulted the teases of

Belleview High by wanting to be a one-woman-man. Why is he jealous?

**Josh Nichols: **Is working through his problems. He goes to a once a week therapy

following his short stint with bulimia and his accidental suicide attempt.

He still works at the Premiere and loves video games and magic. Will he and Mindy at

least get their friendship back or does Josh have to move on when he thought he found

his soulmate? He knows he's a buttinski in Drake's life, but without Mindy there's no

one else to hang out with but his brother as he finds it difficult to make new friends.

**Megan Parker: **Megan is torn between tormenting those she loves and those she

barely knows.

**Chapter 1: Back to School**

**September 2005**

**The night before the first day of Drake & Josh's senior year**

It was a peaceful last few weeks before the start of the new school year. Josh was

struggling to open a pack of number two pencils that he purchased with a whole bunch

of other school supplies. Drake put his electric guitar down on his bed and jumped

down to help his brother.

"Josh, you really need to start lifting weights." Drake laughed as he tore the plastic

wrap off the pencils.

"Thanks, Drake."

"You just can't wait for tomorrow can you?" He leafed through the rest of Josh's school

essentials.

_A twelve count of green cap erasers_. Drake used to like to twist these off and throw

them at random teachers.

_Only one solid pink wedge eraser. _Drake used to tease people that carried these

things beyond the fourth grade.

_A box of gold and silver stars. _If you buy them for yourself it was rather dorky, but if you

bought them for a teacher well that's just worse.

_Three notebooks in the one, two, and three subject varieties. _All with neat pocket

organizational systems.

But if buying this stuff made Josh happy, Drake wasn't going to spoil his fun. It was a

terrible spring and summer for the both of them, with only short periods of jubilation.

Drake wouldn't rib him for buying the most atrocious avocado green binder with

removable folders with reflective labels.

"Drake, stop going through my stuff. By the way, what did _you _buy at Staples?"

"A two-subject notebook, a box of pens, and some other things."

"What did you buy for Torey?" Josh asked with a smile as he filled his binder with

loose-leaf paper.

It was as if Josh needed to live through Drake's life. Drake wanted to say, "None of

your business. It's private." But he didn't want to be a jerk.

"A tablet and some pencils." He kept his description as simple as possible.

Drake loved Josh, he saved his life not even a month ago, but he liked his private life.

His time with Torey was special to him and he didn't want to share it with anyone Josh

included.

"Oh, well, that's nice. I'd buy something for Mindy but I haven't heard from her since that

day in the drug store."

"A lot as happened since then," Drake advised as he went to the sofa, "Why don't you

talk to her in school tomorrow?"

Drake rubbed his head.

Headaches! Josh was starting to give _him _headaches!

"Good idea, bro."

When Josh left the room to get his Premiere vest out of the dryer, Drake took out his

cell phone. He put his head on the pillow and stretched his legs out.

"Hi, Torey. I missed you."

"Hi, Drake. We were just at the mall."

She loved his sensitive side and how she was the only girl (apart from his mom and

Megan on the rarest of occasions) privy to it.

"I know."

"I missed you too."

"I really hate not having my own car. But since Walter and Audrey are offering to pay for

half of what I put down. I have enough saved to start looking next month. It really sucks

riding with Josh we are going to have absolutely no privacy."

"Drake, you know your brother's been through a lot."

"I know, Torey. That's why I feel like an asshole for thinking like this. But I want my

private time with you. I got you a present."

"You can't help your emotions, you are only human. You didn't have to buy me a

present. And how were you able to do that when we were together today?"

"I can't reveal my secrets."

"I'm sure I'll love it."

"Maybe we can find a private spot after we get out of the _Joshmobile._"

"It won't be so bad."

"I suppose. And try to find Mindy tomorrow. Maybe the fact that she hasn't contacted

you either means her silence isn't directed at anyone in particular and she'll want to get

back together with Josh. And I can have my life back. "

"I'll try. I don't mind Josh hanging out with us."

"I know and that's what makes you the best girlfriend in the world. He can't even open a

pack of pencils without my assistance."

"It'll be okay, Drake."

"I try to be understanding, Torey. You know all that's happened. I went through a lot too.

But Josh's problem is supposed to be more important because he almost died. Walter

and I are getting along better, I still feel like I closed a door on Spidey."

"I know. But you are stronger than Josh. You know your dad would never tarnish the

memory of your father."

"I know. I just wish Josh would give me some space. It's our senior year."

"Drake, when you go to bed, I want you to read those print outs I gave you on

mediation. You really need to relax."

"I will. I better get going_. We'll_ be picking you up at around eight o'clock tomorrow. I

love you."

"Josh is not the enemy. Okay. I love you too."

Josh heard most of the conversation, he didn't mean to eavesdrop it just sort-of

happened that way. He waited for Drake to go back into his bed and pick up his guitar

and pretended like he just entered the room.

"Hey, Drake."

"What?" He couldn't even play one note without being interrupted

"Listen man, I was thinking. Since you have your license and all, why don't you pick up

Torey? I'll ride along with Megan. Since Mom likes to take her on her first day of

school."

In their Dad's car since Josh had use of Audrey's. Walter was car-pooling with the

sports anchor of KDJY. They were going to look at buying a new car when they went

shopping with Drake for his.

Drake was about to jump for joy, but then he remembered about trying to control his

self-serving and selfish behavior.

"No, Josh, it's okay. I don't mind."

"But I—"

Josh wanted to blurt out, _"but I heard you complain about me to your girlfriend. Now _

_when I try to make it right, you won't let me."_

"It's okay."

_But you do mind I heard you on the phone!_

"You can drive if you like and then drop me off on the corner. That way you and Torey

can have all the privacy in the world." He made his way to his own bed.

"Josh! Were you eavesdropping?"

"A little. So don't lie to me, Drake, I know that you mind."

Drake took a deep breath. He was surprised that he didn't get out of his bed.

"Well, okay, I may mind. But don't worry about it."

"But I want you to be able to spend time with Torey."

"I will. Do you want to play the Gamesphere?" Drake got out of his bed to set it up.

Josh bit his lip. Drake was trying. They were both in throes of adolescence so they

were bound to get on each other's nerves even if the events of the spring and summer

didn't happen. Boys were always going to be boys.

"Sure. Then it's bath time and lights out for school tomorrow!"

"Josh, what are we four and going to pre-school?"

"Sorry. You should like school."

"And how long have you known me?"

"Drake, It wouldn't kill you to get an 'A' in something."

"It might. Josh are we going play?"

"Yeah."

They played two rounds until Josh decided that he wanted to take a bath. Drake was

surprised that Josh didn't want him in there to hold his hand the whole time. He put his

guitars away and got dressed into his sleeping clothes. He laid down on the bed, but

wasn't tired. Josh was going to come in here and go on and on about how exciting the

first day of school was. The first day of school was never exciting. The last on the other

hand was stupendous. He couldn't wait for June. Josh came in their room singing a

little make up song as he took off his robe.

"Are you awake, Drake? Hey, that rhymes."

"No." He pulled the blankets over his head.

"Did you brush your teeth?"

Actually he did have to, but he wasn't going to give Josh the satisfaction by doing it

right this instant.

"Goodnight, Josh."

"I'll turn the light off in a minute."

"Fine."

"Goodnight, Drake. Can you believe it is our senior year! We're going to rule the

school."

Drake rolled his eyes, "'Night, Josh." Drake repeated again for emphasis.

Emphasis.

Drake Parker knew it was going to be a long six months ahead, but what he (and

Josh) didn't know as to why it was actually going to be so. The boys were becoming

young men and neither one of them knew that they were both going to have to make

some of the most important decisions of their young lives.

Their future's were on the horizon.


	2. These are the Best Years of Your Life?

**Chapter 2**

**These are the Best Years of Your Life?**

**9:05 AM—Belleview High Auditorium**

It was the first day of school assembly as Drake slouched in the mid row auditorium

seat. Torey was on his right and with Drake in the middle he decided to put his jean

jacket over the other seat to mark it saved. The morning went all thirty-one flavors of

wrong. First Josh was using the shower although Drake couldn't fault him too much for

that, he did hit the snooze bar one too many times and then Megan lied and said Torey

was on the phone leaving it on the planter shelf so Drake had to move from his waiting

spot to get it and naturally it just had to be a practical joke from Megan so she could

use the bathroom second.

He hated not having perfect hair, but there was more to his mood than oversleeping

and a later than usual morning shower.

Torey held his hand, "Drake, are you okay?"

Torey was very much surprised by the drawing paper and colored pencils earlier this

morning when Josh threw the keys at Drake and ran out of the car. It was his way to

make sure they had their private car moment but Drake was beyond embarrassed.

"Yeah. When will they start this stupid assembly?"

"Hey, Drake!" Josh called from the aisle as he waved frantically.

"Oh no," Drake corrected his posture, "Josh."

"I was wondering where you two went! Here's your jacket." Josh tossed it into Drake's

lap.

"Do you mind?" Drake asked putting his jacket over the chair.

Torey squeezed his hand. It was soothing. "Hi, Josh."

She was going to ask him if he saw Mindy, but if the answer was no he was only going

to be a bumbling mess and Drake didn't need that.

He did love Josh but was feeling closed in every time that his brother had a problem.

Drake did mean his promises about "always being there" and wanting to be "his

brother's keeper", but at the same time he still needed his own space.

Every human being did. Drake felt that Josh was being extremely unfair.

"Hi, Torey. I cannot wait to get my schedule to see what teachers I have this year!" He

opened up one of his new notebooks and took an ink pen from his shirt pocket.

"You are going to take notes at a school assembly?" Drake asked

"Why not?"

If it made Josh happy and kept him busy then Drake didn't mind, but it certainly was

embarrassing of him.

Drake may not be popular at Belleview anymore_ but he was still cool_.

**Lunch **

Drake was happy that he and Torey had the same lunch period. He had fifth period

lunch last year and was surprised that whatever academic nerd created the schedules

didn't flip it. His guy friends were at the table with him and his girlfriend. There was one

seat at the table left.

"Did you spot Crenshaw yet?" Drake asked Torey while drinking a can of soda.

"No. And Mindy's usually in some of my classes."

But the two girls didn't get chummy with each other until they were dating the

respective brothers and they had a semi good friendship going Torey thought until the

night of the junior prom when Mindy tried to end her young life.

"I haven't seen Josh all day. I think he might have had fourth period lunch. Hallelujah."

"Drake," Torey stroked his hand, "Promise me you won't freak out."

"Hey, brotha!"

"I thought you had fourth period lunch?"

"I did, but I changed it. Because it was only study hall so they let me switch."

"Great."

"Hmm, I smell macaroni and cheese." Along with his therapy Audrey and Walter

thought that Josh should see a nutritionist who gave him guidelines for watching his

portions.

"Would it be rude if we went outside?" Drake asked when Josh left

"Yes. What has Josh done to you recently that's got you not wanting to be in the same

room as him?"

"Nothing. Isn't it weird? He hasn't done a damn thing other than be Josh. Which makes

me feel like a bad person. Well the changing lunch schedule is a pretty strange thing to

do."

"You're not a bad person, Drake. And I'd say Josh is very lonely."

"Thanks," he kissed her hand, "It's just like every little thing he's been doing lately,

Torey, has been driving me up the wall."

"Did you talk to him about it?"

"God no."

"Maybe you should?"

"Maybe."

He wasn't about to have a fight with his girlfriend over having a heart-to-heart with

Josh. Drake knew that Josh was lonely. His relationship Mindy was on the back burner

at best, his little sister died because of an unfortunate mistake, and his mother was in

Ohio not giving a damn about him.

It made the murder of Spidey almost pale in comparison. Of course, Josh was lonely

but Drake couldn't help but be annoyed when Josh came back with his macaroni and

cheese and had to tell Torey about one of the differences between him and his brother.

"See, Drake's algebra book, listen to it, you can hear the newness." Josh cracked

it open.

"Today is the first day of school. New book." Drake took it out of Josh's hands.

"And four months from now it still won't be cracked open!" Josh laughed

No matter how true that sentiment might have been Drake was still bothered by it.

"As long as he goes to class." Torey put her hand on Drake's shoulder and gave him a

kiss on the cheek.

"Torey and I have English together."

He chose the seat next to her, but Torey didn't mind. But their teacher decided that

they should sit in alphabetical order so that was the end of that.

"Josh," Drake stood up, "That's cool."

"Where are you going?"

"To the vending machine. Would you like a candy bar, Torey?"

"No." She didn't bother him with female phrases like 'time of the month'. She could

actually eat more than one candy bar today.

"Is Drake mad at me?" Josh asked moving on to the fruit cup.

"No, he's not." But for the life her, she couldn't tell him that her boyfriend found his

brother annoying.

"I know I talk too much and get over excited, but it's good to share your life with

someone. The people you love."

Statements like that is what makes kids like Josh Nichols get wedgies in gym class

but Torey thought it was sweet.

"Yes it is."

"I mean, it's our senior year and then after that college! _We'll all rule the campus_."

College?

It wasn't that Drake couldn't get into a college. He certainly was smart but he didn't feel

like applying himself to do the work that gets you into a good school. With this being

their senior year because of not coming from a rich and connected family he'd have to

start off in a two-year junior college program if he wanted his Bachelor's Degree.

Because for Drake Parker it was all about performing his music and not being in a

classroom all day to prove himself to the world.

Torey was relived when Josh got up to talk to one of his favorite teachers.

"Drake," Torey stood up, "Let's go for a walk."

"What's wrong? Did Josh say something to you while I was gone?"

He could sense something from the moment he returned. They decided to go out of the

side doors and sit on the concrete block.

"Yeah, but not anything bad. He's kind of under the impression that we're all going to

college together."

"What? Where in the Hell did that thought come from?"

"I don't know. That's what he told me."

"Torey, he knows I don't want to go to college. Sure Mom and Dad kind of throw hints

around, but that's what parents are supposed to do."

He was dreading the day when Torey left for college. They never talked about where

she was going. Drake hoped that Torey's choices were schools all on the

West coast.

"Whatever gave him this idea?"

"I don't know, Drake, but as I said before this you really should talk things over with

him."

The bell rang but neither one of them got up.

"I know you are right, honey. And the sooner the better."


	3. Life is What Happens to you While you

**Chapter 3**

**Life is What Happens to you W****hile you're Busy Making Other Plans**

**Same day-After school**

Two hours away from the adolescent angst of two teenage boys in San Diego,

California who were only trying to survive their youth in one piece and come out of it

confident young men was a busy greasy spoon diner in Encino.

The kind of place where runaways looking to hitch a ride come to at midnight to

scale the joint for responsible truck drivers to take them to their destinations which

usually meant "they wanted to be in show business", but if they were lucky would get

a job as a housekeeper and at worst a job selling themselves. Wondering

why they left home in the first place.

Some people just make terrible decisions. The tip of a cigarette glowed in the

cheap disposable soft metal ashtray. The middle-aged woman who was relatively

skinny, with dirty blonde hair, and brown eyes tapped her foot nervously as she

stirred her lukewarm coffee in the white ceramic cup with the shadowed pink rim

design.

The marriage was done and there was no changing that. From what she heard he

was happy. She couldn't give him that so she was happy. The coffee was bitter and

so was her soul.

She wasn't sure why she was here and why she stopped at a roadside diner in

Encino instead of driving straight through to San Diego. Her navy blue 1975 Valiant

made the journey without its usual sputter. She even stopped the blame that she

carried. Thanks to her good friends at Ginghamsburg Church. It was only through the

acceptance of the Lord that she came to terms with that day at all. Accidents

happen all the time. The young boy said he had to answer the telephone and his

back was turned for _only a __minute_ and in that minute the family changed forever. It

didn't help matters that she was seeing another man on the side at the time, but they

broke up when she found a Bible at a rummage sale and joined the church. Maybe it

was better to leave this alone but it pulled at her that she wanted to see him again

"to make it right".

"May I take your order?" the waitress dressed in pink and white uniform asked her.

"I'm not hungry. Just another coffee, please."

The trouble was she didn't know how to make it right.

**San Diego**

Josh tried to concentrate on his homework. He had to work at the Premiere tonight

and really was in no mood to put up with a class where the teacher gives them

homework on the first day of school. He normally liked homework, but he felt like he

was missing the world go by.

"Where were you after school?" Drake asked breezing in.

He had to be at Guitar World in an hour and he had no plans of doing any homework

until after he got home and that was still going to after his nightly telephone call to

Torey.

"I figured you wanted to walk Torey home."

"Well not quite she started a new job today at Ralph's market. Remember when she

couldn't go to my concert at the San Diego Country Club? Her mother made her

have a boring dinner with her friend's sister who is the manager. I walked her to

work."

"Good for her. I heard it pays better than the Premiere."

"Josh," Drake nervously rolled one of his guitar magazines, "I don't know how to

really say this so I'm just going to say it okay?"

"Okay?"

"I don't know where you got the idea from, but I'm not going to college."

"Haven't you thought about your future, Drake?"

Drake picked up his electric guitar, "No."

He couldn't help being sarcastic. Come on now how long have he and Josh known

each other let alone be brothers?

"You might kick yourself someday."

"Then it's my mistake to make, Josh."

Even Mom and Dad didn't press this issue because they realized he wanted to be a

musician. It would only be wasting their money and not to mention his time,

especially on days when he never would have bothered going in and just would have

played college hooky.

"Okay," Josh replied non-committed, "I have to finish my homework."

He watched Drake put his guitar back against the wall and leave the room.

He certainly had it _all._ Josh knew these past few months were difficult for everyone

and he wasn't the only one in this house with problems. But Drake still had the looks,

the charisma, and most importantly the _girlfriend._

Josh was never going to feel attractive in his own skin. He even told that to his

therapist.

He might have lost weight, but he wasn't going to ever look like Drake. The only

reason those girls at Belleview High didn't like him anymore was because he was

serious about Torey and it became the high school drama that television for women

made for TV movies were born from. But other girls still fancied him. Josh also had

no girlfriend.

There were no sightings of Mindy Crenshaw in school and he got stubborn and

didn't even call her house. She was making her feelings known by not calling him

correct?

Yeah, Drake was a virgin, big deal. Josh was convinced that he himself was going

to die one. It was only going to be a matter of months before Torey was ready to

give herself to his brother and Josh didn't want to hear about it when the night came.

Megan knocked on the door.

"Why did you knock, Megan?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm feeling nice today." She was holding something behind her

back.

It looked like a plain brown envelope.

"What do you have there?" He stood up.

"Five dollars."

She knew it wasn't the best of her trickery, but Megan was too busy tormenting the

neighbor boy to be bothered with the Boob today. She also could use the five

dollars.

"Fine." Josh went into his wallet and took out a wrinkled five-dollar bill.

The envelope had neither postal markings nor stamps on it, which meant that

someone had just dropped it in their mailbox. It was a piece of notebook paper with

the squiggly ends that Josh would normally cut off with scissors if the paper weren't

perforated. The letter was typewritten and so was his name and address on the front

of the envelope.

_Dear Josh,_

_You are always on my mind._

unsigned

"Drake! Drake! Get in here!" Josh called from the doorway

"What is it? Are you on fire?" Drake replied coming up from downstairs.

"Look what I got in the mail! It's a letter from Mindy!"


	4. Strings

**Chapter 4 **

**Strings **

**Two days later-Guitar World **

Drake thought it was strange at the time, but didn't say anything to Josh. Mindy 'no

matter how crazy she was' Crenshaw would never send an unsigned letter to Josh. It

would have been completely out of character for her to do such a thing. And then to go

through all the trouble of making sure a faux label (a torn blank white index card with

clear tape over it) was typewritten as well as the note. Those were not the Creature's

tactics. Drake didn't like seeing Josh get all optimistic waiting for "communication

number two". Drake even tried calling the Crenshaw residence last night as this was

getting way too ridiculous and all he got was an answering machine so he hung up. Let

Mindy's parents see the caller ID show 'Nichols, Audrey' he didn't care. Maybe, Josh

had a secret admirer at school that was shy and nervous in these situations like his

brother was? It made better sense than an unsigned letter from Mindy. She was never

one to shy away from her feelings.

Drake was bored as hell sorting invoice orders out in a back over air conditioned office.

Who would have thought that a job at a place called Guitar World would suck so much?

He might as well have had a McJob. He was motivated to keep on going when his mind

flashed to what he was saving his money for, oh yeah, and the car too.

He had knowledge to some of the more important accounts. Some celebrities used

fake names but everything gets leaked on the internet. Drake had his cell phone clipped

to his jeans and set on vibrate because the first time his boss heard his phone go off

when it wasn't a scheduled break was the last time he wanted to hear the phone ring.

_Caller ID: Nichols, Josh_

"Hi, Josh."

"What are you doing?"

"Working. And shouldn't you be doing the same?" Drake couldn't believe that those

responsible words came out of his mouth.

"I heard from Mindy again, Drake."

"Listen, Josh, I—"

"I didn't get a note this time. I got a cross pendant. I know that's a strange gift

considering Mindy's not really a religious person, but it's the thought that counts."

"Was the label typewritten?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Was there a note enclosed?"

"No."

"Listen we'll talk later in person."

"Do you have something to say?"

"Yeah I do. While I don't know who is sending you these things, I don't think they are from

Mindy. And that's not because I dislike her. It's just what I think."

"You can't stand to see me have hope can you?"

"That's not true, Josh. All I said was I don't think it is Mindy that is behind this."

Now there was another reason to despise Mindy Crenshaw. She would enable Josh's

insecurities like no one else on this planet could. It wasn't about Josh being goofy and a

candidate for Beauty & The Geek, it was birds of a feather flocking together. Which was

fine if his bird could sing. He just deserved better.

Josh bit his lip. He didn't want to fight with Drake. "Okay. Promise me when you come

home we'll talk about this?"

"We will. I promise."

"Okay, I gotta go. Helen's coming and I'm not on my break. See ya, brother."

"Bye, Josh."

Now it was back to the wonderful world of invoice sorting. He couldn't wait to see Torey

after work. She scheduled her hours around his. He didn't ask her to, it was just

something that she wanted to do on her own. It was one of the million things she did that

made her great. Next month he'd tell Audrey and Walter that he was ready to go car

shopping _and then he could really start concentrating on a man's most important _

_purchase._

Josh laid out on his bed stroking the solid 14-karat gold cross pendant in his hands as

he waited for Drake to come home. He knew he was walking Torey home from work

and that probably meant they were making out once they got there since her mother was

hardly home. But he still should be home by now.

"Finally!" Josh stood up when Drake came through the door.

"I didn't realize I was late." He gave a pretend look at his watch.

"Don't deny making out with Torey."

"I won't." Drake opened up a can of soda and sat on the sofa.

"Well?"

"Josh, relax. Can't I have a drink first? Let me see this cross."

Wow. It was a pretty substantial piece of jewelry. Real gold and had a weight to it. This

could not have come from Mindy.

"What do you think?"

"I am definitely positive that this did not come from Mindy. I know you want it to, but I just

don't think so. Maybe someone at school or at work likes you?" Drake handed Josh the

cross back.

"I doubt that."

"Man, she really did a number on your self-worth. Your confidence was really improving

before you hooked up with Mindy."

Drake was not about to bring up the climax to the number over Josh's low self-esteem.

They both knew what happened that night so there was no need to regurgitate it.

"But I love her Drake. I know the old you wouldn't have understood that concept in a

million years, but now that you found someone that I know you love—surely you

understand my deep feelings for Mindy."

Torey was pure light, while Mindy was pure blackness. Josh wasn't serious about

comparing them was he? Another comment that Drake let float off into the air.

"Love only works when two people are in it."

Oh, that was a good line! Drake ran to his bed to get his tablet to write that down for a

future song.

"I don't want notes or jewelry or anything else if the woman that is sending those things

is not Mindy."

Great. Now he was going to pine for her. Drake closed his tablet and thought of another

approach.

"Let's see if anything else comes in the mail for you in the coming weeks before you

make any decisions. Okay?"

"I suppose." He sighed heavily.

"Hey, Josh, look at this."

Drake tore the page out of the San Diego Reader and handed it to his brother.

**MAGICIAN'S ASSISTANT WANTED**

**TO HELP OUT AT CHILDREN'S PARTIES**

**CALL LUCKY THE MAGIC CLOWN (aka Ben Vaughn) at**

**619-555-2355**

"This sounds cool. But I already have a job, Drake."

"Yeah and so do I. But I'm not staying at Guitar World forever. Call the guy. A man who

goes by the name Lucky The Magic Clown can't be all that bad."

Dorky, perhaps, but not a bad person.

"I guess I could call. Maybe the hours won't interfere with my Premiere hours. Or I could

do work for this guy on my days off?"

"There you go."

"You don't need to use the bathroom do you?"

"No." Drake took out his acoustic guitar. He already had an idea based on his sentence,

"Love only works when two people are in it" to Josh not ten minutes ago and he wanted

to get it all written down before he forgot his train of thought.

"Good, because I'm going to take a long hot bath."

All Drake heard was 'I won't be interrupted for a half hour.'

If Josh got this job maybe he could meet some new girls and 'forget' about Mindy. After

all some of those little birthday party kids had to have big sisters or aunt's who were

Josh's age. It would also take the importance off this mysterious gift giver so that his

brother could stop obsessing over it.

After Drake wrote the lyrics he wanted to get a vocal down on his small tape recorder

but the machine wouldn't come on. It looked like there was something jammed inside it.

A piece of paper:

_From the desk of Megan_

_Play me_.

Drake rolled his eyes as he pressed play.

This wasn't a new tape. He could tell by his mother's voice on it. He quickly pressed

stop. The note from Megan was new but the tape in the recorder was old. She must

have gone snooping again. Drake came to terms with the loss of Spidey Parker, but he

didn't want to hear that birthday party tape again. It was his fifth birthday and one of his

best childhood parties that he could remember. Now his mindset was all shifted he

couldn't even put his vocals down for his new song tonight. He put the tape in an extra

clear cassette case he had lying around and placed it in his bottom dresser drawer with

the rest of Spidey's things that he possessed. He'd listen to it later. Whether or not later

meant tomorrow or ten years from now he wasn't quite certain.

"Hey, Drake, you can have the bathroom now!" Josh entered in his robe.

"What? Oh yeah. I hope you didn't use up all of the hot water." Drake grabbed his

sleeping clothes off his bed.

Spidey sang on that tape. That's what it was. Maybe Megan had the best intentions, she

never joked around where their dad was concerned, but he still didn't want to hear his

father sing and especially play the guitar. For some reason that was too painful to even

think about especially the latter of the two things. Even after all the shared emotions with

his family on the subject he just couldn't do this. Not now.

Fathers should be seen and not heard.


	5. Rah Rah Sis Boom Bah Guess Who is a Che

**Chapter 5**

**Rah Rah Sis Boom Bah (Guess Who is a Cheerleader?)**

**Last Friday of September**

There haven't been any more mailbox surprises for Josh since the cross pendant a few

weeks ago. Drake was right. Whoever did sent him those things it wasn't Mindy

Crenshaw. He still didn't call Lucky the Magic Clown. He really didn't know why except

that he liked to play it safe. He had his job at the Premiere and he wanted to stay there

until he figured out what his college plans were. Josh also wanted Helen to give him a

good reference for the next job. He didn't think she'd be all too obliging if he left the

movie theater to be Lucky the Magic Clown's assistant. He was on his break eating the

carrot sticks that his mom cut for him and ignored the chocolate haven that was in the

employee's vending machine.

One thing that had him in dire need of an extra visit to the therapist was the upcoming

Halloween dance. Sure he could go without Mindy and hang with his---oh, he forgot he

really didn't have any friends—sure he could be the third wheel and intrude on Drake

and Torey's date but that wasn't fair to his brother. That was only assuming that they'd

be going to the dance. They had another band scheduled to play, which didn't anger

Drake as much as Josh thought it would. Probably because that meant he could spend

more time with his girlfriend.

Josh wished he could have some sour creamed laced dip for these carrot sticks. But he

stuck it out and ate them plain. It wasn't so bad, you just had to get used to the taste of a

plain raw carrot.

In two hours his shift would be done and he could go home. Hopefully Drake would be in

a musical mood as it was easier to sleep if he was working on a soft acoustic number.

Josh threw the empty plastic sandwich bag into the trash and went to do what Helen told

him to do before his break which was to help Crazy Steve (Josh never questioned how

he got his job back considering that Helen was elated over him quitting in the first

place!) refill the employee the manual binders with the new policies and guidelines

pages.

He was frozen when he saw a bunch of girls come in the theater. They were all from

Garfield High and in their cheerleading uniforms. Garfield was Belleview High's rival

school. There was a girl with a soft yet husky voice in the back. He almost felt like (not

purposeful) throwing up his carrot sticks.

Mindy!

His first thought was 'Mindy is going to Garfield High now' followed by 'She's a

cheerleader'. The urge to phone Drake for advice was overwhelming but he held his

ground as he stood by the break room door watching her and her fellow cheerleaders

buy their snacks at the concession stand.

She almost had a lot of nerve coming here, but at the same time Josh was happy to

see her alive and breathing since their awkward meeting at the pharmacy in the

summer. He watched her go down the corridor where he was interrupted by Helen

wondering how come he wasn't in the back office helping Crazy Steve with the

employee manuals?

"I'm sorry, Helen."

"Josh, I'm not paying you to dilly-dally!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

Drake could have stood there all day and she'd have thrown coins in his open guitar

case.

Josh sighed as he went to get started on his task for the rest of the night.

He found Mindy and couldn't wait to tell his brother about it.

Their senior year curfew was upped to midnight. Drake always did get a pass regarding

any band dates and Josh could work the overnight shift at the Premiere if he wanted to

on Friday and Saturday nights.

Josh was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a diet Mocha Cola and waiting for Drake to

come through the door, then he got nervous and thought what if he entered through the

front door instead?

"Josh, where are you going in such a hurry?"

Josh turned around and sat back down at the table.

"Drake! You're home. I have news for you, you better sit down."

Was that a hickey on his neck? Josh would have to get jealous over it later.

"What's up?"

"I hope you'll be happy for me---now I don't know if I should tell you. You'll only make fun."

"No, I won't. What is it?"

"Okay. I saw Mindy at the Premiere tonight. MINDY! She didn't see me. She goes to

Garfield High now."

"If you didn't talk to her then how do you know she goes to Garfield High?"

"She was wearing a cheerleader uniform."

Miss Science Fair/Cockapoo cloning/Uptight priss who wanted to frame Drake

regarding Mrs. Hafer's car in the classroom was now a cheerleader?

Drake was going to get a great laugh over that one later, but he wouldn't do it in front of

his brother.

"She wasn't with any guys?" Drake got up to pour himself a glass of juice.

"No. I wanted to talk to her. Maybe tomorrow I can go to her house."

"Josh, maybe, you should just let her go. I know you won't though."

"I have to follow my heart, Drake. By the way, nice hickey."

"Shut up."

"How are you going to hide that from Mom and Dad?"

"Don't worry. I took one of mom's concealer sticks. She'll never know."

Walter might have to say something parental but being a guy it'd be all nudge-

nudge/wink-wink.

"Yeah, she will!" Megan snapped a photo on her new digital camera and ran away.

"Megan!" Drake thought of chasing after her but then changed his mind.

"It was worth it, Josh. So take that Megan." Drake put his thumb to his nose and did the

five finger salute if she was watching from her spy station.

"Mindy would do it on the chest. That way no one would know."

"Thanks for that visual image."

"I'm going to bed," Josh yawned, "Are you coming upstairs, Drake?"

"In a minute." He was debating if he should eat a piece of apple pie or eat the last of

Megan's Little Debbie brownies? It would server the little urchin right.

"Tomorrow," he looked at his watch, "Wait it is tomorrow. Later on today, I think I'm

going to Mindy's house and find out exactly what is going on."

This was not a good idea and Drake didn't want to see Josh get hurt by Mindy again.

His self-esteem was improving somewhat and he didn't want to see Josh get his heart

broken.

Drake made sure Josh was upstairs and went to the phone. No one was answering. But

it was after midnight and this time he was going to leave a message.

"Hello Mindy, this is your pal Drake. Josh is going to see you later on today. You

better be nice to him _or you'll have to answer to me_."

Drake hung up the telephone and went to take Megan's last brownie before

going upstairs to bed.


	6. Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls

**Chapter 6**

**Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls**

**Early Saturday morning**

"MEGAN!" Drake shouted. He was covered in a spider's web of colored silly string. She

must have used two whole spray cans on her brother.

"Maybe that'll teach you to not eat my brownies!"

"When I get out of this mess you better watch out." It stuck to him like when you have

something sticky on your finger and it takes you five minutes to take it off.

"Strong words coming from a boy covered in silly string!" She ran out of the room and

closed the door.

"JOSH! A little help would be nice!" Drake finally uncovered the mess by his eye area

and noticed that Josh wasn't in their room.

He hoped that Josh wasn't on his way to Mindy's house already.

Drake was able to reach for a pair of scissors to cut through all of this ridiculous not-so-

silly string. He hoped that the rest of it would come off in the shower.

"Woah! What happened to you, Drake?" Josh walked in with a glass of orange juice.

"Megan's what happened! Now come over here and help me!"

"She is an evil little girl." He placed his juice on the table.

"You think?" Drake replied

"You know we should take a digital picture to show Mom and Dad---"

"JOSH! Will you do a little bit less talking and a little bit more cutting?" Drake handed

him the scissors.

"Sorry, bro."

If only life were as simple as helping your brother out of a silly string jam.

"Remind me to 'kill' Megan later." Drake said when he got free. He had to take a shower

and get all of this residue gunk off his body and his proper rock star hair.

"Well now that you're unstuck so to speak, I'm off to see Mindy. See ya, Drake."

"Wait."

"What is it?"

Drake couldn't find the right words to say. It was like when he had a songwriter's block.

He just didn't want to see Josh go down the dark path again.

"Just be careful, Josh."

"I will. Later."

"Later." Drake sighed hoping that Megan better be long gone out for the day when he

came downstairs.

He hoped that Josh would get the answers that he was looking for. But Josh was

dealing with Mindy Crenshaw. A piranha would be more receptive.

Josh stood on Mindy's porch, but was afraid to ring the doorbell. What if her parents

answered? What if no one answered? He knew Drake wouldn't be afraid, so that gave

him enough inspiration to ring the doorbell.

It took two rings spaced thirty seconds apart before Mindy opened the door. She was

wearing one of her usual preppy outfits. A spring green v-neck sweater and a kicky

pleated denim skirt.

"Hello," Josh nervously coughed, "Mindy."

"I knew you were coming, Josh." She let him in.

"How did you know that?"

"Because Drake left a threatening message on the machine last night. He's lucky I got

to the machine before my mom did."

"I don't think he was threatening you as much as he was sticking up for me."

Damn! Why did Drake have to leave a message on her machine? It only seemed to

make Mindy aggravated.

'Whatever."

"I saw you at the Premiere last night."

"You did?"

"Yes and you were wearing a Garfield High cheerleading uniform."

"My parents thought it best if I switch schools, Josh."

"What made you interested in cheerleading? You looked nice, though."

"Josh, I seem to have let you on from when we saw each other at the pharmacy. I'm

cutting all my Belleview High ties. You might want to mention that to Torey and tell her to

get a brain and dump your stupid ass pretend rock star of a brother. So, I think it's best

_if we don't associate with each other anymore, Josh._ I have a new school and new

friends. It's pretty much a new life for me. So, if you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I'm going to

have to ask you to leave."

Josh was dumbfounded. "Mindy, I could tell you things about me that would make your

skin crawl, but I don't want your sympathy."

"I don't need any more negativity in my life, Josh."

"I'm negativity?"

"Goodbye. Leave yourself out, won't you?"

She ran upstairs.

Josh slowly left the Crenshaw residence, as did the slow walk to his car. He didn't know

how he drove the short distance home without getting into an accident.

He sat in the driver's seat for a good five minutes. The sun might have been shining, but

his heart was yet another cold, dark thunderstorm.

Mindy was the only girl he had ever really loved. There would be no eventual reunion like

Drake and Torey. They had it. That magical clichéd word "IT" used to describe couples

in a state of real love.

His hands were shaking but they were still on the nine o'clock and three o'clock

positions on the steering wheel. No he wasn't going to inhale the refrigerator and throw

up the contents later. But he was trying his best not to cry.

How could Mindy turn on a dime like that? Granted, their meeting in the pharmacy in the

summer was what led him to not give a damn about his life, but he just assumed that

once the dust was settled that Mindy Crenshaw still cared for Josh Nichols.

Who was he without her?

WHO?

Josh exited the car door and was greeted by Drake who could tell by the somberness of

his brother's face that it did not go well. Which was probably the understatement of the

year.

"Josh—"

"I need you to do me a favor, Drake."

His whole body was shaking. The tears were about to come gushing out like an oil field.

"Anything."

_That bitch._

Josh wrapped his arms around Drake's waist and pulled him closer.

"Hug me, Brother."


	7. Honey Bunches of Oats

**Chapter 7 **

**Honey Bunches of Oats **

**Saturday afternoon**

It was funny Megan thought as Drake dragged her to Ralph's market. Whenever she did

something to THEM she was evil and they vowed to plan their revenge. But when they

needed something done to OTHERS whom did they call upon? Megan Parker.

"Would you guys stop kissing? I'm on a schedule here!"

"Two huge jars of honey, marshmallow fluff, a gallon of water, the family size oatmeal tin

and two packages of toilet paper. This has the makings of something I don't want to

know about." Torey said as she scanned the groceries. She wondered why Drake

called off work today?

"Two words. Mindy Crenshaw." Drake handed Torey his debit card

"She did something very bad to the Boob today so Drake and I are going get her back

good." Megan explained as a pimple faced teenager boy bagged their illicit goods.

"This is why you called off work?"

"Yeah it is, Torey. I'll explain all of this later when I pick you up. It will make more sense.

Love ya."

Drake kissed Torey on the lips.

Strawberry lip-gloss was his favorite of the glosses.

"Love you too, Drake. Bye, Megan."

Megan waved Torey was certainly nicer than Mindy was. She was still getting custom

made billing statements saying that she _still _owed her fifteen dollars (plus accumulating

interest) over the half-shaving of Josh's moustache. There was no way she was going to

give money to Mindy especially now. Only one person could torment the Boobs of the

family and that was Megan and Megan alone.

"I wish you had your car already!"

"I'm the one carrying the bigger bag." Drake said.

He knew exactly the car he wanted. He saw an ad in the San Diego Reader this

morning for a used but still in good condition a cherry red 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT

convertible. Some of them were going for considerably more than what he had saved

up, but the owner was moving and wanted to take a loss. Drake had enough for it on his

own but his parent's half offer would help with the insurance.

"Now when we get to Mindy's house let's go in the backyard."

"Megan—"

"Drake. You came to me—and need I remind you who silly stringed you this morning?

Me. So, when I say let's go in her backyard you really should listen to me."

"Okay."

"You want to get Mindy back right?"

"Of course."

"Good."

Megan smiled. This was going to be great.

Drake and Megan hid by the side of the house as they saw Mr. and Mrs. Uppity

Crenshaw leave their property. Mindy was not with them.

"How do we know if Mindy is still home?"

"Amateur." Megan picked a rock off the ground and threw it at the backdoor.

Megan kept out of site and sure enough there was Mindy looking even more horrifying in

a blue facial mask and wearing a long white bathrobe.

She snapped a few digital pictures.

"Who's there?" Mindy was in her bare feet and didn't feel like going around to the side

of the house to see if anyone was there.

Megan showed Drake the pictures and he made a face. Josh was heartbroken over that

ugly thing?

"I'm glad I didn't eat lunch yet."

"Okay. I saw a big bucket on her back porch. Go get it."

"Shouldn't you get it, Megan? You're smaller and have the reflexes of a cat."

"Thank you, Drake."

Once Megan got the bucket. They filled it with the honey, marshmallow fluff, and

oatmeal.

"Sticky hands."

Although there were a few places other than this that Drake would find this whole

concoction minus the toilet paper appropriate.

"That's why we have the bottled water you Boob."

"I'm beginning to understand the workings of your devious mind."

"Is that so?"

Megan nodded.

"I can climb the trelace once I set the bucket. Front door or back door?"

"Back door's fine. And I got the camera, Drake."

"All right. Let's do this for Josh."

When Megan gave the all clear that Mindy was in the living room watching TV from what

she could see from the window was when Drake climbed the side trelace to get to

the part of the roof that was directly below the back door. Drake was ready to set Her

Sticky Highness with, as many rolls of toilet paper that he could and what wouldn't stick

to her would still make a nice mess in the Crenshaw's yard. Once he unwrapped the

plastic wrap Drake threw those bags and the grocery bag he had to carry them up here

in. He watched them fall down to the ground gracefully in a swirled pattern. There was so

much beauty in the world he just couldn't take it.

Megan paid five dollars to a little kid driving by on his bike to ring the doorbell and to tell

Mindy there was something going on in her backyard and she better go see what it is.

Mindy saw from the curtains that it was Megan Parker standing ever so innocently in

front of the small set of stairs.

Megan tugged on her earlobe to indicate Mindy was about to open the door.

"Meg—WHAT IN HELL?"

She was covered in the honey, marshmallow fluff, and oatmeal mixture.

Megan took pictures. "Now, Drake!"

Drake made sure most of the paper landed on Mindy. It was great seeing the mummy

scream and dance.

"This is for, Josh!"

He left out other words that he wanted to say, even though Megan probably used them

with her friends in school.

"You don't mess with our family, Mindy!"

Drake climbed off the roof to wrap her manually with the last of the toilet paper since she

wasn't going anywhere.

"Josh loved you," Drake made an opening where her ear was, "_you bitch."_

Then he proceeded to take some of the goo and put it in her ear.

"When you clean up tonight make sure to check my website. It's case sensitive."

Drake hoped that Torey wouldn't be too angry over what he did. It needed to be done

and besides a good hot bath would clean her up and maybe she would think twice

before she hurt a sweet guy like Josh.

Mindy pulled at her face so she could see Drake and Megan.

"I think the Creature is going to speak."

"GO AWAY!"

"We will. Our work here is done." Megan said as she took a few more pictures.

"Yeah it is. We happen to love Josh. You got exactly what you deserved. Come on,

Megan."

"What about the trash?"

"I think Mindy can take care of that."

The siblings left the Crenshaw property feeling victorious.

"You know something, Drake?"

"Yeah, Megan?"

"She should be glad I didn't see Carrie."

And Drake thought knowing Megan she would have no problem slaughtering a pig to

protect her family which made him vow to never take her last brownie ever again.

When Drake got home he was surprised to see Josh putting on his Premiere vest. He

was going to work past his usual quitting time to make up for the hours he missed this

afternoon.

Drake thought he'd have taken the whole day off like after what happened at their junior

prom.

"Hey, Josh. You're going to work today?"

"Yeah, Drake. I need to keep busy. How come you aren't at Guitar World?"

"Megan and I---just come here."

Drake brought up Megan's website on their computer.

**Boob Clip of The Week: Mindy Gets Her Oats Sewed**

**(special thanks to Drake Parker—my brother)**

**(dedicated to Josh Nichols—my brother, too)**

"What did you guys do?"

"There's no need to thank us. We were glad to do it."

Drake was speechless when Josh said what he said after he viewed the timeline that

started with the test picture of Mindy in her facial mask and ended with her as the sticky

toilet paper mummy of San Diego.

"Why did you do a thing like that for? Megan I can see. She's just a kid. Why Drake?

Now I'll never get her back."

"Wait a minute. I took off a day of work to help you out. Do you not remember your

breakdown on the porch and all the vicious things you told me that Mindy said? _And now _

_you want her back_? Wake up, Josh! There are other nice girls out there."

"First off, I didn't ask you or Megan to commit any crimes for my benefit. You better pray

Mindy or her family doesn't press charges. And secondly, she didn't mean those things

that she said. I could've got her back, Drake_. I could have_."

"I cannot believe you." Drake put his hands through his hair.

"I don't have time to have this argument. I better go to Mindy's house and apologize for

your and Megan's actions. _I could've had her back_. Now thanks to your and Megan's

stunt she may never want me back now. I hope that you are happy with yourself."

Josh took his keys off his dresser and quickly left their room leaving Drake to wonder

who exactly was Mindy Crenshaw and what kind of unnatural hold did she have over his

brother?

How could he want her back? Sure, Josh's self-esteem was lower than Drake's, but

even so it still didn't make much sense.

"Drake," Walter appeared in the doorway, "May I speak to you in the kitchen, please?

And bring Megan with you too."

Drake mentally rolled his eyes. Okay, he supposed it was Walter and Audrey's job to be

pissed over something like this but it still felt all surreal.

He hoped he wasn't going to get grounded over this especially after Josh's non-

thankful-and-stupidly-wanting-Mindy-back-reaction. There was no way he wasn't going

to see Torey. No way.

"I wonder if they're going to make us apologize to Mindy?" Megan asked

"Here's the thing about some apologies," Drake explained, "You don't have to mean

them."

"I know that."

"Well know this Megan," Drake whispered when they got closer to the kitchen, "If I'm

grounded for this it's not going to interrupt my plans with Torey. You can take that to the

bank."

Megan smiled. She never got punished for any of her pranks either; mainly because her

parents didn't think she had those instincts in her.

The Parker's always had to make it on their own. Good for Drake and Torey. Megan

hoped that they would get married someday.

But she was going to have to think long and hard, as she was sure Drake was, on

whether or not it was going to be worth helping Josh out ever again.


	8. M is for the Many

**Chapter 8 **

**M is for the Many **

**Sunday afternoon**

Drake was surprised. Walter and Audrey didn't ground him but they did lecture him and

Megan for twenty minutes. Drake could've mentioned Josh's reaction to the whole

Mindy revenge scheme, but it didn't seem worth it. Apparently, Drake was "old enough

to know better" and shouldn't have dragged "poor little Megan" into it. Yeah, poor little

Megan! For their parents to think that way Drake had to give it up to his younger sister.

The little "demon" was a genius.

It was too quiet in the room. Drake had Sunday off and wasn't the good little Boy Scout

who would work on a Sunday to make up for the Saturday he didn't. His name wasn't

Josh. He was writing random words in his songwriting notebook, but most of it was 'I

heart Torey' in the margins. Josh didn't have to be at the Premiere until after Sunday

dinner and was actually occupying his time studying. Drake did not know what went on

after Josh stormed out of their room yesterday to apologize to Mindy, and he didn't want

to know.

So, it has come to this? How many times can people argue, make up, then argue some

more, then make up, infinity? Drake wasn't built like that. If Josh's physical life needed

saving again, Drake would be there. He had compassion. It's not like he'd let him die.

But as far as communicating and being more than brothers he could feel the tank

approaching empty and he wasn't sure if he wanted to fill it. He had his relationship with

Torey, his music, and his friends.

Josh wasn't a friend and as far as family goes it's not like he was blood related to the

guy. Yes, it was harsh but also true. Drake just couldn't stomach Josh anymore.

Sometimes people part ways. So what if it happened sooner rather than later? It was

bound to happen anyway with Josh going to college and Drake not. He also was going

to surprise Torey with a special Christmas present. Maybe, this was a good thing after

all. Gamesphere had a one-player option. Dust could gather around the spherical unit

for all Drake cared.

"Where's Josh?" Audrey asked Drake who was stuck with setting the table because

Josh wasn't downstairs.

"The last I saw him he was in my room."

_My room._

His mother was too busy mashing the potatoes to catch Drake's not-so-subtle slip of the

tongue.

"He took off." Megan came in the kitchen and took a black olive out of the small crystal

dish.

"He knows we're about to eat dinner." Audrey put the wire potato masher in the sink and

went to talk to Walter who was in the garage.

"Where do you think he went, Drake?"

Drake put his finger in the mashed potatoes, "Don't know. Don't care."

"Eww!"

"Relax. My hands are clean."

"What do you mean you don't care where Josh went?"

"Did I stutter?" He grabbed a can of soda out of the fridge.

"So you hate Josh now?"

"No, I don't hate Josh, Megan. I just can't stand him."

Josh wanted to throw up. Not because he was binging and purging. He stopped that. He

just felt nervous in the pit of his stomach. Mindy did accept his 'family apology' and Josh

helped her clean the toilet paper and other doo-dads that were in her families yard.

Josh was still determined to get Mindy back. But that's not why he felt sick.

He had an appointment before his shift at the Premiere and didn't think it wise to inform

his parents about it. He was going to the Super 8 Bayview Motel.

He had to stop on the side of the road to collect himself.

It all happened yesterday during his shift at the Premiere.

**Flashback**

Josh put the money from the filled cash register in one of those long zippered money

bags and dropped it in Helen's office. He tried not to think about what Drake and

Megan had done to Mindy. At least there would be no criminal charges pressed and he

helped her clean up the yard before her parents got home. He remembered the clicking

of the billiard balls and the sounds coming from the music system from that up and

coming young man who all the teenage girls swooned over on TeenNick. It was also

raining outside. Josh had his hands on the box of soda cups and was ready to open

them up when Helen came up to him.

"Josh, there's someone in my office who would like to see you."

"Uh, okay?"

What could that be about? From the sound of Helen's serious tone he thought he was

about to be fired until she said there was someone in the office that would like to see

him. It couldn't it have been Drake; Helen would have been in a more jubilant mood. He

also didn't want it to be Drake. And why would he need to see him in Helen's private

office?

"Hello, Josh."

"Mother?" Josh clutched at his stomach.

Drake would have been easier to deal with.

"Let me get a look at you," She stood up, "You lost weight."

She wanted to hug him but Josh backed himself in a wall and almost knocked over

Helen's 'manager of the month' plaque.

"You can't just breeze into my life like nothing ever happened----WAIT! You sent me the

note and the cross!"

Josh took the cross pendant out of his pocket and threw it where it accidentally landed

in Helen's decorative Nick-at-Nite collectible ashtray from the '80s.

"I've wanted to see you for a long time. I know, I wasn't the best Mom, but after Walter

and I---"

"No. I don't want to speak to you."

"Okay, I can see you're in shock and I don't want to upset you or get your boss angry that

I'm taking up your time. If you want to talk I'll be at the Super 8 Bayview Motel until

tomorrow evening when I have to leave to go back to Ohio."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

He really wanted to puke up his guts.

Josie Nichols walked up to her son and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"I'm sorry if I scared you. You take care, Josh."

When his birth mother left his legs at that moment felt like they were jelly filled. He

needed to sit down before he fell down. He cried for a good ten minutes before heading

back to work. He couldn't tell this to his Dad---or the woman that he's grown to love as

his true mother. And most importantly he couldn't or wouldn't he wasn't quite sure. _Josh_

_couldn't confide in Drake_. Josh took the cross out of the ashtray and put it back in his

pocket.

**End Flashback**

Josh found his way staring at room door number 257 and knocked on the door.

"Josh! You came!"

"Yeah. I can't stay long I have to go to work today."

"How responsible you are. Come in."

And in that instant Josh Nichols was going to start a chain of events that was going

to take everyone by surprise.


	9. New Kid In Town I Don’t Wanna Hear It

**Chapter 9**

**New Kid In Town (I Don't Wanna Hear It)**

**First Tuesday in October**

**Lunch**

Drake didn't know where Josh went on his lunch hour now and nor did

he care. He did leave the building with his ugly avocado green binder

and a box of legal sized envelopes. One of his guy friends said he locks

himself in a car and writes a bunch of letters while he munches on a brown-

bagged lunch with fruit juice.

More pining for the Creature Crenshaw Drake assumed and that was

the extent of his caring about Josh and his lunchtime activities.

"You and Josh are _still_ not talking?" Torey asked

It was a shame because underneath it all Drake Parker and Josh

Nichols were more alike then they were different.

"There's nothing to say to him."

"I love you." she whispered

Drake kissed her hand. Torey had a wonderful heart just like his mother.

She wanted them to make up and he loved her more for it. Unlike

Audrey, Torey was not nagging him on the subject. Even Walter wasn't

pushing it, because they've been down this road before and it was time

to treat their sons as young adults and not children.

The family crisis was briefly forgotten when a guy tall, a little on the lanky

side, early '60s dirty blonde Beatle-ish hair 'do, and carrying a

tangerine colored Fender strat walked in the cafeteria. Followed by the

girls that used to chase after Drake.

"Holy Snot! Who in the Hell is that?"

"I don't know his name but he transferred over from Clairemont."

Torey saw the young guy in the office this morning when she was getting

a box of red pencils for her homeroom teacher.

Drake bit his lip. He wasn't jealous of the female admirers. He had one

female admirer and that's all he needed. But he didn't understand why

he felt pangs of jealously regarding this mysterious transfer student from

Clairemont High.

"I'm sure you are a much better musician. And you're obviously way

cuter than he is."

Drake smiled.

"Thank you."

He hoped that when the time came that Torey would say 'yes' to his

most important question.

**After School**

It was three fifty-seven in the afternoon when Josh walked into the

house. He didn't have to work today. No one else was home. Drake he

knew was taking Torey to work and then going to Guitar World for his

job. Megan was at soccer practice and Mom and Dad were at their

jobs. Josh got a calling card so when he used the family phone none of

the charges or anything else concerning this call would show up on the

billing statement.

Darn. All that trouble for a stupid voice mail message.

"This is Josh. I thought about it and I'll talk to Mom and Dad on Sunday.

Until then let's not contact each other except for emails. I want to save

my minutes on this calling card. And I can't use my cell phone because

I'm in the family plan. Talk later. Bye."

He figured he better get started on his homework. Josh could get 'A''s

easy. It just came to knowing what your teachers expected out of you

and then all you had to do was say the words that they wanted to hear.

Joshakaazam! An easy 'A' was had.

**After Work**

"Hmm," Torey slid her hands down Drake's shoulders after an extended

goodnight kiss on her porch, "Are you sure you have to leave?"

"Yep. I have a big a surprise tomorrow." He kissed her on her lips.

She remembered the strawberry lip-gloss. He was going to have to

relive this moment later in a locked bathroom.

"I'll look forward to it. Goodnight, Drake."

"Goodnight, Torey. Go ahead dream naughty I won't tell anyone."

She blushed. "Same to you, Drake. And don't worry about that idiot in

school today. You're much more cooler."

Another kiss. And he had to meet Walter and Audrey. He was surprised

that they weren't waiting here beeping their car horn in an embarrassing

parental way.

That had to be Dad's doing. Because he could really picture his Mom

actually doing that.So score another point for Walter.

"I really should be going."

"You said that five minutes ago, Drake."

Drake pulled Torey closer to him, "I know. I don't want to leave."

This was real romance and there was no way that Josh could ever have

this with Mindy!

"I don't want you to either."

Which could have been code for: _Tonight, Let's go all the way_

"One last kiss until tomorrow," Drake actually wouldn't mind if he got

caught in a rainstorm right now, it would relieve some of the tension,

"Love you, Torey."

"I love you too, Drake."

Torey didn't enter her house until Drake faded from sight.

Drake walked back to Guitar World so that Walter could pick him up.

Hmm, that was odd. He thought his mother wanted to be here?

"Sorry, I'm late." Drake buckled his seat belt.

"No, you're not," Walter smiled, "Torey's a beautiful girl."

Drake forced himself to not blush at the mere mention of her name.

"I thought Mom wanted to be here."

"She thought this was something that we should do together. She

means well."

"She shouldn't worry so much."

"Did you bring your checkbook?"

"Yep. I hope Mom's not mad that I want to buy a used car. I know you

guys wanted to look at some new models."

"We can do that anytime."

Drake was impressed. His Dad was not bugging him about the state of

things between him and Josh. While Walter was not Spidey, he still was

a good guy.

He couldn't wait to pick up Torey tomorrow in his brand new (well to

him) used cherry red (it would match his Fender) 1988 Pontiac Fiero

GT convertible.

Rockers weren't meant to walk and besides he had to show up that

unnamed moron at school tomorrow and silently tell him that his minivan

(Minivan? What rock and roll minded person would drive a minivan,

unless they had a bunch of kids?) was the most uncool car a senior in

high school could have. It didn't dawn on Drake until he was in bed at

twelve o'clock midnight that he didn't even think of Josh this evening

until he saw him sleeping in his bed.

And he didn't feel bad about that one bit.


	10. Sunday Breakfast

**Chapter 10**

**Sunday Breakfast**

**First Sunday in October**

It was one of those mornings when everything went 'just so'. The Californian sun was

bright and welcoming, the toast wasn't burnt, and with the windows open just a crack

you could hear the birds chirping.

And just a slight bit of wind touched Mom's wind chimes. It was really a picture

postcard kind of day that was until hurricane Josh stormed into the kitchen.

"Where?" he stopped talking when he noticed that it just Drake in the room.

How rude was he? He couldn't finish his sentence? Drake made a loud clanging

noise with his butter knife rather than to give Josh the shouting match that he was

convinced his brother wanted.

Megan walked in next. "How come you aren't dressed for church, Drake?"

Who would have ever thought that he would enjoy talking to his sister as a person to

actually converse with?

"Mom and Dad know I don't want to go. So they aren't making me anymore."

"Lucky you," Megan went to get her favorite cereal off of the kitchen counter.

"Hey Megan."

"Josh."

Unfrickingbelievable!

"Where are Mom and Dad?"

"Getting dressed."

Josh almost jumped sky high when the kettle that he put on whistled. He was hoping

the herbal tea would comfort him. Josh sat at the end of the table that was farthest

away from Drake that he could get. He didn't want to disturb Mom as she made her

homemade blueberry pancakes and Dad looked content reading the sports page of

the San Diego Union-Tribune. But Josh had something very important to say and it

needed to be said before two things happened. One his fear that he might collapse

after telling them and two before they went to church.

Drake poured syrup on his pancakes and wasn't even paying much attention when

Josh started to talk.

"Mom, Dad. I need to ask you something."

Megan felt that this was a biggie. Kind of like anticipation some animals feel before

an earthquake.

"Sure son." Walter said as he broke his bacon in half

"What is it?" Audrey asked

"I need your permission to transfer to Garfield High."

Drake almost choked on his pancake. He hit himself in the chest, "Wrong pipe."

What in the Hell?

"Why on Earth do you want to change schools?" Audrey beat Walter to the punch.

"Because Mindy goes there and I want to be with her."

It was so sad seeing Josh so dependant. But as long as Drake didn't care anymore

he continued eating his pancakes.

"But you and Mindy aren't even together anymore." Walter said

"I knew you would have a problem with this. That is why I got all the paperwork

myself. All you need is to sign this."

"We are not signing those papers." Audrey tried to lay down the line.

"I know you guys don't understand. Mom said you wouldn't."

Walter dropped his fork on his plate.

Mom said?

"What?" Audrey asked in disbelief

"My birth mother. Josie Nichols."

Megan wished she had her tape recorder running. This was priceless!

"When did you see your Mo--?" Walter didn't want Audrey's feelings to be hurt.

"She mailed me a letter and sent me a cross pendant a few weeks ago. She

decided to come to take a chance and come to the Premiere one night."

"How did she know where you worked?" Megan butted in.

Drake was transfixed and couldn't move. Was it possible that those lunchtime letters

that Josh was writing were not to Mindy but to his mother?

"Megan be quiet. Infact would you and Drake go in another room? We would like to

speak to Josh alone." Audrey suggested

Drake and Megan silently left the room where they could watch the action in

Megan's room from her inhouse hookup.

"I don't know how she found out where I worked. She probably followed me one day

or something. I didn't ask."

"You are not transferring schools and I don't care if my EX-WIFE thinks it's a good

idea that you do." Walter said who went over to comfort Audrey who was trying not

to break.

Which was making Drake very angry as he watched the whole thing.

"That son of a bitch."

"Drake."

"Well he is. I should go downstairs and beat the crap out of him."

"NO! It'll only make matters worse. Come on, let's continue watching."

"Maybe if you guys think about it, you'll let me switch schools. It's the only way I can

have a shot back with Mindy. You remember how cliquey schools were in your day.

Well it's worse now. A thousand times worse! Mindy was able to reinvent herself

and she needed it. I don't like keeping things from you guys so I might as well tell

you I correspond with my Mom via snail mail since she doesn't have internet access.

I was thinking about spending a year with her after I graduate and then go to school."

"NO! Get this through your head Josh you are not transferring to Garfield High and

THAT IS FINAL!" Audrey couldn't believe it.

Gone were the days that they could happily quote movie dialogue with one another.

"And when you are eighteen you can do what you want," Walter cautioned, "But that

doesn't mean we will paying for your college education if you are going to be this

disrespectful to your family."

"He's making Mom cry! That's it!" Drake left the room. Megan ran after him.

"Don't do it, Drake! Please."

"You are done, Josh! Don't you dare disrespect our parents!"

When he was downstairs it was all about his mom, but when he got in the kitchen it

was all about his dad too.

It seemed like just a few months ago he punched him in the mouth. And that's the

point that Drake was trying to make. How long could this cycle continue?

"Drake," Walter had to pull him off Josh, "That's enough."

"Mommy," Megan ran after her mother to keep her company.

Josh straightened his clothes. One of his front teeth chipped when he fell on the

hardwood floor.

"Let's continue this in the living room, Josh."

"No, Dad! I have nothing else to say. I'm out of here."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to---" Drake started to say

"I know you didn't, son. Can you do me a favor and clean up these dishes while I

check on your Mother?"

"Sure."

It was the perfect moment to say 'I love you, Dad' to Walter and hug.

Drake didn't know why he chickened out because he did mean it.

Once Drake finished clearing the table and washing the dishes he was going to

make it right in a song.

Their family unit was starting to feel like a real family and damn Josh for ruining that.

Drake might have had a selfish streak but he wasn't that bad and thanks to Torey

he was working on fixing his weaknesses.

Drake was never going to forgive Josh for hurting his Mother---and the Father that

wasn't Spidey, but still his Father just the same.

He didn't have a brother anymore.


	11. The Quick Silver Moving Company

**Chapter 11**

**The Quick Silver Moving Company**

**After Sunday breakfast**

Drake Parker thought he was angry over the senseless death of his biological father

but it was almost nothing in comparison to the anger he felt over one just recently

disowned stepbrother Josh Nichols. It might have had something to do with his father

being actually dead and buried whereas Josh was alive and causing disruption in the

family.

And the authority figures thought it was boys (and girls) with loud instruments that

caused all the trouble. His face was all red with anger and he was glad that Josh

wasn't here because at that moment he could have taken his electric guitar and broke

it over his giant head. He sat on his bed trying not to think. Mom and Dad weren't

going to church. Megan once she got a hug and positive feedback from Audrey went

outside to play with her friends.

Drake had two thoughts as he threw his ink pen on the floor in frustration for not being

able to write a single lyric. Sometimes the songs just aren't there even if you want them

to be. He wanted to be with Torey, but knew she was working until about three o'clock

and two he wanted his room back. This was his room and it always was going to be

his room. Even when he moved away and had a house of his very own, this room was

still going to be his.

Drake got out of his bed to find the telephone book that was on Josh's (no, his) desk

and flipped to the letter "M" category—movers.

Audrey had one credit card that he, Megan, and Josh were able to use for

emergencies only.

Well when he was thirteen years old Drake did try to justify a 1977 black Fender strat

as an emergency purchase, but his mother cancelled the charge. Can't blame a

teenage boy with rock and roll music in his heart for trying.

Drake was surprised at his calmness over the telephone.

"Really? Today would be great."

Someone's cancelled appointment is another person's blessing.

"Is three o'clock fine?"

"Yeah."

He had to make a second phone call and hoped that Torey would understand.

Sometimes he felt that he was still a lousy boyfriend.

"You aren't mad at me?" Drake asked Torey after he finished talking with the Quick

Silver Moving Company.

"Why would I be?"

Torey could always walk home by herself especially when it was still light outside and

even if it were nighttime she could always call for a taxi. She was more concerned

about Drake and Josh's relationship. They've had many ups and downs in the past few

months and this one seemed more serious than the rest.

"You're great."

"I wouldn't say that."

"That's why I'm in your life, babe."

She smiled. "Um—Drake, have you given thought to—I mean---you and Josh have

always come through your differences. I'm sure he didn't mean what he said in the heat

of the moment." She couldn't think of the right words to say. Because not only did

Torey love Drake, but she loved Josh like a brother and hated to see their relationship

crumble like this.

"I thought he loved my Mom and considered her his Mother too, but he made her cry.

How can I forgive that?"

"I forgave _you_."

"That's different."

"How so, Drake?"

"Romantic relationships are different than parental ones."

"If it's in your best interest to have different rooms I think that's a good thing. I just hate

seeing you guys not speaking."

"It's better for everyone involved."

They were able to talk for a little while longer until Torey's college age supervisor

tapped on his watch to remind her that she took this call when it wasn't a scheduled

break time.

"I have to go my supervisor is giving me looks. I'll see you later."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, Drake. Be careful. Promise?"

"I promise."

Drake hung up the phone. _His phone._

He was glad that he had a compassionate girlfriend who actually cared about the state

of him and his family, but he still didn't want Josh in his life anymore.

Josh made his bed now he had to lie in it.

**Hours later**

Walter took Audrey out for a Sunday drive so Megan was the only one home with

Drake when the movers came by to put all of Josh's things in the guestroom and put

anything else that didn't fit in the attic. Or bring things from the attic back to his room

where they belonged.

"Drake, I don't believe it." Megan twisted the stem off the top of an apple.

"What don't you believe?"

"You kicked Josh out of your room!"

"Don't tell me you are going to start going soft? That'd be a very sad day for the

universe." He strummed his acoustic guitar

"I'm not. But I do feel sorry for the Boob. He really doesn't know from which he speaks."

"I have to find a padlock."

"Why?"

"Do you think I trust Josh?"

"I don't think he'd demand to come back here."

"Still, I don't want him thinking that he can just come back. Notice the drum set back

where it's supposed to be."

Drake found a package of alphabet stickers in the second side drawer of his desk.

There were no "K's" left, but he could break the "L" and make a "K" out of it.

"What are you going to do with those stickers?"

"Put a message on the door."

Drake spelled out_ 'Drake's Room'_ with a broken "L" to form the "K" in Drake and all.

"Are you going to be here when Josh comes home?"

"Nope. That's why I'm going to put a lock on the door."

Megan wasn't excited about this as she thought she would be. After all it was funny

right? Things like this were funny? She thought the Boob was well a Boob and Drake

could be one too. Still this brought to the surface things she didn't like to talk about and

Josh made their Mom cry.

_It just wasn't funny._

She was old enough to know the difference.

"Are you going out with Torey tonight?"

"Of course."

"See ya, Drake."

"Where are you going?"

"I've got something to do." She said with a raised eyebrow that made Drake hope that

someone would hide the kitchen knives.

He was beginning to worry about what kind of adult she was going to grow up to be

and if Josh was even one ounce responsible for making Megan a literal demon

instead of just one that likes to play overblown jokes if it was possible he would hate

him even more.

Love grew so the opposite had to be true.

**12:01 AM**

Drake was one minute late past curfew but today wasn't a school day so he didn't think

he'd get in trouble as there was an administrative meeting tomorrow closing Belleview

High for the day. It was amazing how a soft and wonderful night making out with one's

girlfriend on her living room sofa could turn into a dreadful feeling in a house that was

supposed to be your home.

_Why were they yelling at this hour?_

Sure doors were closed and he was downstairs but that didn't mean he didn't hear

their muffed sounds.

He took off his jean jacket and threw it across the couch. He didn't want to go up there.

"Hey, you missed a lot!"

Drake turned around, "Megan! You scared the Hell out of me."

"Mom's quite angry that you used the emergency credit card."

Drake didn't want to add to Audrey's stress. It was the last thing he wanted to do. Not

only did he feel he was a lousy boyfriend but a terrible son as well.

"That's not what they're fighting about is it?" He walked into the kitchen.

"No. They're fighting over sending Josh to Garfield High. Dad thinks it might be a good

idea after all. Mom is dead sent against it."

"Oh, I'd like to break Josh's neck," Drake took a bottle of soda out of the fridge, "_He's_

_pitted them against each other."_

"Josh came home and went into the guest—now his room. He didn't say a word. He

just locked the door."

"Maybe he'll kill himself and be successful this time."

"Drake!"

"I'm not sorry, Megan, I'm not."

Oh no. Drake almost dropped the bottle when Walter came in the kitchen carrying a

suitcase. A suitcase for emphasis.

_Fuck._

"What are you still doing up, Megan?" She was a smart cookie; you couldn't sugarcoat

anything with her. She'd see right through it.

"You're leaving, Dad?"

_Just when I…._

"Just for a few days. Your Mother and I agreed this was the right thing to do."

He hugged her. She'd cry later.

You could hide your emotions over the dead ones, but it was much more difficult when

the living ones were still here. You can see them on park benches feeding the birds

knowing they weren't going to be home for supper.

"See ya." She replied with no emotion and ran off.

"D—"

"Drake, I don't want you blaming Josh for this."

"Were you going to leave before this?"

"Well—you can never tell in a marriage."

"That means no. Why don't you sleep on the sofa? Mom can be stubborn. In the

morning she may not have meant to throw you out."

"Audrey meant it. She's not indecisive like Josie."

"Still you should," Drake looked out the kitchen window, "It looks like it's going to pour,

Dad. I mean Mom loves you, Megan loves you, _and I love you_." Even though the last

part came out of his mouth mumbled.

"I love you too, Drake," Walter hugged him, "I'm happy that you feel the same way. It

means a lot."

"Will you be back?"

"Of course. Your Mother and I have a lot to discuss. She just needs a breather. So I'm

giving her one."

_A lot to discuss…does this involve for each calling a lawyer?_

"Still do you have to leave so late at night? I'm sure Mom didn't mean leave right now."

"She used the words 'right now'. I'll see you, Drake," Walter squeezed his shoulder.

The urge to cry was out of this world but it was the anger emotion that was most

prevalent in Drake's heart and soul.

Drake banged on Josh's door. "IF YOU DON'T OPEN THIS DOOR SO HELP ME I

WILL BREAK IT DOWN!"

"Drake, what are you doing?" Megan came out of her room.

Her eyes were tear stained.

Josh opened the door ready for Drake's fist to meet his jaw.

"I just want to get a GOOD look at the person who broke up MY FAMILY! Mom and

Dad had a fight OVER YOU and now Dad's gone. They might get a divorce and it's

ALL YOUR FAULT!"

"Drake—"

"No, I DON'T want to hear it! GO TO HELL, JOSH!"

Drake went into his room, slammed his door, and locked it.

He'd have snuck out to Torey's house but her mother probably just came home from

her job right about now and he also wanted to be there for his own mother.

How could this be happening? Spidey Parker dies in one of God's most cruel ways.

Audrey finds another chance at happiness and the ungrateful son of the man she falls

for is the one responsible for the whole thing crumbling? Drake finally starts to accept

Walter Nichols as a real father and now it's all over? Because of the actions of one

idiot their family might not make it?

Oh, Josh should burn in Hell all right!

Drake kicked off his shoes and climbed into his bed. He took his cell phone out of his

jeans pocket.

_Voice mail._

"Hey, Torey, it's me. I figured your Mom prob—"

Drake heard some buttons being pushed from the other end of the phone line.

"Drake, are you all right? You don't sound good."

"I'm not," he sniffed, "Dad left and if he and Mom don't work things out, they might

divorce."

"Oh, Drake—I'm so sorry. Why don't you tell me what happened?"

She wished that she could be there to hold him.

"It all started when Josh Nichols was born."


	12. September 22, 2005

**Chapter 12**

**September 22, 2005**

**First day of Autumn**

**Thursday afternoon**

When Josh Nichols sulked no one seemed to notice. People notice you when you have

a magic fork trick or if you can rack up a high score record with your favorite

Gamesphere game, but no one seemed to care that he was in the Principal's office. He

sat on the long cherry wood bench with his transfer papers. It wasn't a victory. He didn't

need Drake to scream at him for that point to be known.

Maybe he was a family wrecker but how unfair to put all the blame squarely on him when

Walter and Audrey were two grown people. If their marriage was strong they'd make it,

it was as simple as that. Josh never did get the chance and was quite sick about how

his mom might have thought that he didn't love her that it was all a lie. This was not true.

Audrey was his mom. But Josie was too and he did want to get to know her better. What

was so wrong with that?

He couldn't help it if the Parker offspring only thought about themselves but then again

that was what they were best at.

_It wasn't just about Drake and Megan._

Josh turned over his the cuff on his shirtsleeve and then moved to his right arm to do the

same. He almost broke out in hives when he saw Drake walk out of the Principal's

office.

So that's who was in there.

_Please don't let our eyes meet._

Josh didn't care if Drake got detention for running in the halls or if he and Torey did a

little too much of the PDA. It was of no importance to him.

He was expecting the self-important Parker pose and it almost pissed him off in a

hypocritical way when Drake didn't stop and stare at him. He just got a signed slip from

the secretary and went to his class.

"Josh Nichols," the secretary stood up, "You may go in now."

It's not his fault that his Dad was sharing an apartment with KDJY bachelor anchor

Stuart.

It wasn't his fault.

So why did it feel like it was?

It was lunch when Drake saw the flyer posted on the oversized bulletin board that the

school allowed the students to use.

**Belleview High School's Annual Halloween Dance**

**October 28, 2005**

**6:30PM**

**School Gymnasium**

**Costume Contest**

**First Prize: $500.00 Rutherford's Gift Certificate**

**Second Prize: Free year pass for you and a friend from the Premiere movie theater.**

**Courtesy of Manager: Helen Ophelia Du'Bois**

**Third Prize: A coffee sampler from the Brew Note**

**Band: Atomic Soup (cancelled) **

**Replaced by: The Frankie Fuller Trio**

Those prices were certainly lame. And who was the Frankie Fuller trio? Drake never

heard of them. Although he was glad that Atomic Soup didn't get the dance gig after all.

They were trying to bring grunge back to the mainstream. Music shouldn't be that

depressing. Well, it was the Halloween dance. But still.

Give the people some good music.

"Hey," Torey kissed Drake on the cheek, "You're wrapped up in your thoughts."

"Hi," He kissed her back, " Who is the Frankie Fuller trio?"

"Frankie Fuller is that guy that transferred over from Clairemont. We have art class

together."

"What! It took me years to even be allowed to play at school and this guy transfers over

and already gets to replace the original band?"

"We both know you're better."

Drake smiled. Torey did have the knack to make him feel better. Home was a terrible

place. His mother worked longer hours just to avoid her marriage issues.

Issues that were caused by Josh that never would have happened otherwise.

It was only supposed to be a few days and today was the twenty-second day of

September. The first day of Autumn!

"You're sweet."

It was true. He didn't care if any of his classmates thought he was corny or not. Too bad.

Drake Parker always marched to the beat of a different drummer.

Some women were just sweet. It didn't mean they weren't human. It just meant that they

had a deep soul and were loving to those around them. It still bothered Drake to think

about almost throwing this relationship away not once, but twice.

"Are you hungry?" she asked

"Not really."

Now that Drake had his own car they didn't even have to eat in the cafeteria. His guy

friends especially those of the band mate variety were probably feeling alienated but he

just didn't care. Maybe that was rather selfish. But he loved Torey and that was the

person that he wanted to be with.

They held hands as they got their junk food out of the vending machine. Torey didn't

have the massive sweet tooth that Drake had, but she wasn't in the mood to eat a

proper lunch today either.

"Drake," she turned the radio down, "I was going to wait until tonight but close your

eyes."

He had to splash himself with a mental image of cool water because he knew that's not

what she meant.

"Why?"

"Because it's a surprise."

"Torey, you didn't have to---"

"Ssh," she put her index finger on his lips, "I wanted to."

He heard her open the snap closure of her purse and then felt something soft being put

in his hands.

"Open your eyes, Drake."

It was a long black velvet box. Whatever was in this box was because she wanted to

make him feel better over all the chaos in the Parker (no Nichols lived there anymore,

well Josh didn't count) household. He could feel his eyes water before he even opened

the box.

It was a sterling silver ID bracelet.

_Drake_ in an Old English font was engraved on the front and on the back was

_Love, Torey_

This must have cost her a small fortune as most of those places charged by the letter.

"This is awesome," Drake kissed her on the lips, "Thank you, Torey."

It would definitely look good on him while playing the guitar.

"I figured you could use some cheering up." She took it out of the box and placed it on

Drake's left wrist.

He appreciated the gesture and her so much. Good luck with the Mindy pining Drake

accidentally let a thought of Josh creep in his mind.

"Do you know you are the only person that really thinks of me as a whole person?"

She put her hand on his knee.

Their relationship was progressing and it was slowly terrifying her on the inside. Torey

was convinced that once Drake realized certain things about her that he was going to

bolt to the nearest door.

He wanted forever with her, she could tell. And although she wrote similar things in her

diary many many times she didn't think that she could give him that future.

"I do love you, Drake."

They kissed a little bit more until the first bell rang to indicate that lunch was over.

She put their soda cans and junk food wrappers in a small trash bag. If it were up to him

Drake would have had a totally messy car. It was just part of his charm like untucked

shirts and guitar playing at any hour of the day.

"I love you, too."

He needed one more kiss if he was going to get through periods six through eight.

While Drake saw the future with Torey in his mind that he has been cultivating he had no

idea his girlfriend saw the same future but she didn't know if them being together

passed high school could ever be a reality and it's not because she didn't want to.

It was because she didn't want to hurt the only man in this world that she was ever going

to love.

"What are you thinking about, Torey?" Drake said as they walked back to the school. He

loved how the bracelet sparkled on his wrist.

"Just that you are a great guy, Drake. You deserve to be happy."

The latter half of her statement confused him. He already was.

"And so do you." He kissed her on the cheek, as they had to go in the opposite direction

to their respective classes.

"I'll meet you by your locker after school." She said when they got the stairwell.

"As always."

Something was wrong though. He could feel it. Torey was afraid and Drake had no idea

why. He knew one thing though he was going to take a nap in class once he got there.

When all he really wanted to do was find out what was troubling his girlfriend.


	13. Number Nine

**Chapter 13**

**Number Nine**

**First Friday in October**

**Contains: Mature subject topics mentioned in this chapter. **

**Friday **

**After school**

Every first weekend in October was an unofficial non-sanctioned event called

Campland on the Bay. It was for any high school senior in the San Diego area.

It gave an excuse for the rival schools to show up the other, for cliques to stage

even more power because there weren't any parents or teacher's around, it also

was an excuse for kids to get drunk and have meaningless sex and it was also the

place for an unofficial battle of the bands contest. It was more of a city pride thing

and not anything you could put on your resume unless your gig was in San Diego

where the club owner would _get it _because more than likely they went to Campland

on the Bay in their senior year. Giving it a kind of Fraternity or Sorority house vibe

where the older and younger generations would give respect to each other

because they were there and no secret handshake was required.

In the recent years the local law enforcement was doing unannounced checks to

any illicit booze could not be out in the open like it was in the free wheeling sixties

and seventies.

You were encouraged to bring your own tents and/or sleeping bags, but even

without many young couples still fucked in the woods with the music blaring out of

their boomboxes. It was one of those rites-of-teenage-passes weekends if you

didn't attend then unless you had a valid reason like getting your appendix out of

awaiting your trial in juvenile court you weren't cool enough. And then there were

those people who were considered cool but their girlfriends or boyfriends weren't

and the cliques would let them know about it on why they were even allowed to

attend the Campland on the Bay.

Drake Parker was this paradox. The skanks of the school didn't think he was

popular/cool anymore, but the guys still did. And many people from other schools

saw him at the Brew Note and other places his band performed at so it was

expected that he attend this party despite what a small fraction thought concerning

the popularity status of his girlfriend.

If Drake was a paradox than Josh Nichols was what was called (by someone in the

Belleview class of '75) a 'turnaround'. You may not have liked him, but you could

always count on him to do something outlandish for the entertainment benefit

factor of the rest of the youth tribes. Rumor had it that he was lifting weights but you

couldn't really tell and actually tried out for the football team and NOT to be its

Equipment Manager either. He was trying to be at Garfield High what he wasn't at

Belleview. A jock. And not a bumbling one either but one that actually knew his way

around a football. It wasn't because he had aspirations to go on to a college team

in the NCAA and win the Heisman Trophy; it was because he wanted to get Mindy

Crenshaw back and to get her to have sex with him. They were in almost every

class at Garfield but she wouldn't talk to him but there was certainly a lot of

whispering and note passing back and forth with her fellow pseudo cheerleader

girlfriends.

The weather was a nice seventy-three degrees. It was one of the perks of living in

California in October.

Torey was quiet for most of the trip up here. She told Drake that she would go, but

that was only because she wanted to see his band play. It was going to be Hell

with Sandy Crane and Melanie Patterson's clique. They lived for weekends like

this. Drake put his hand on her shoulder. She kept saying she was "all right" and

with a smile, but she wasn't.

"Are you okay, Torey?" He stopped his car a mile away from the parking site.

"Yeah, Drake, I'm all right. Well, I don't want to deal with Sandy, Melanie, and the

rest of the clique brigade. They've been extra bitchy all week with their dirty looks

and 'accidental' shoving in the halls."

The truth was there was more to her state of mind. Way more. She'd have brought

her diary, but that's all those girls would have to see and she would have been

humiliated and not to mention that she didn't want them to do anything to Drake.

"They're just jealous because you are more of a real woman than they are."

To think he almost wanted to make out with Melanie. It might have taken Drake

longer than Spidey to be faithful to one woman but it did happen. He didn't know if

his father waited for marriage to have sex and that is nothing that a male wants to

discuss with his mother so he'd have to go with his instincts on that one. Hopefully

though with Megan having a sleepover weekend at a friend's house and with he

and Josh out of the house maybe Audrey and Walter would reconcile. At least

Drake hoped so. He just didn't want to hear the gross details of it. But at least no

legal representation was called by either of them. However, it was more than a few

days. Audrey Parker could be stubborn but she had to realize that Walter Nichols

loved her? And who the fuck really cared where Josh went to school or if he

wanted to spend time with his biological mother after graduation? It was good

riddance as far as Drake Parker was concerned. Josh was many things and none

of them good, but a tool came into Drake's mind as well.

Torey had to take the focus off of her. She couldn't break. Not here at Campland

on the Bay.

"I'm sure your band will beat the Frankie Fuller trio."

Did she think that Drake didn't know that she was changing the subject to get the

focus off herself? He spent most of his seventeen years changing the subject

especially after the death of his father but he didn't want to push her.

"As long as he doesn't win I'll be happy."

That's when it hit Drake that the reason why he was jealous of Frankie was that

idiot transfer student took away his label. He was supposed to be the rocker of

Belleview High. Just like Witherspoon was one of the top football players or that

Eric was an honor society geek. Regardless of whether or not the girls liked him.

Drake was the musician of the school and he didn't want Frankie to take that away

from him. It's one thing if someone surpasses your talents after you've been

graduated and gone, but not while you are still there.

Besides Drake never saw Frankie play his Fender, only pose with it and that said

a lot right there to him and how he felt about music.

"Drake--" Torey nervously played with the ends of her hair as they got near the

unpaved parking area

"Yeah?"

"I don't mean to inconvenience you, but can we park closer to the back and not the

front?"

"You're not inconveniencing me. I think that's a good idea."

She did say that she wanted to attend this gathering but Drake was feeling more

unsure by the minute.

"Thanks."

"Torey, do you want to leave? It's okay if you want to."

"No, Drake! I want to stay. It beats working at our jobs."

Her mother worked too frigging much to know that there even was a problem and

that was quite disturbing to the young woman.

Drake unbuckled his seat belt and kissed his girlfriend on the lips.

"Smile."

"I am on the inside."

But in reality she wasn't and Drake knew it.

**Torey Becker's diary entry for 10/6/05**

_Dear Diary,_

_Drake and I are going to Campland on the Bay for this weekend. We return _

_home Monday afternoon because it's Columbus Day and there's no school._

_He asked me if I minded sleeping with him (not sleeping as in sex, but sleeping _

_as in sharing a tent and a double sleeping bag)? No. I don't mind. I want nothing _

_more than to cuddle with him in a sleeping position. But I'm scared. He's not _

_going to want me for much longer. I can't give him what a young man like him _

_deserves. I felt guilty giving him that hickey. Not that I didn't enjoy doing so. _

_I really don't know what he sees in me. _

_I wish I could bring you diary with me but if Melanie, Sandy, and the rest of the _

_Belleview Bitch Squad (and god knows what other school clique as well) saw this _

_diary Drake and I would be even more of a laughing stock at school. I don't mind _

_what they think about me. But I sure as hell care what they think about Drake.  
_

_Besides, I want to hear his band play. I don't get to much what with my work _

_schedule. Even though I do work it around Drake's Guitar World schedule. There _

_are times when I do have to go home myself. He always feels bad about that like _

_he did something wrong. But he hasn't. My Mother won't let me stay out passed _

_curfew so I can't always meet up with him at his shows._

_Drake has a wonderful future. I don't want to ruin anything for him. I stocked up _

_on my strawberry lip gloss because that Drake's favorite flavor. I just want to _

_enjoy my time with Drake because—ink smear—crying for the historical _

_record—it's going to be over with before we know it. I'm just happy—grateful—etc. _

_that we got back together. I can understand why he felt afraid to be with me _

_causing us to break up twice. I don't even like to be with me. Diary believe this: I _

_love Drake Parker so much. And while I do want the future that he wants, I know _

_it's not going to happen. It can't happen. This might very well be our last weekend _

_together. I hope that someday when the dust settles, I'll turn on the radio and _

_hear Drake sing a song about me and I hope that he remembers the happy _

_times that we shared together. I'll always wear my junior prom ring. I'll never _

_forget Drake. –more ink smear—Never._

_Never Ever After._

_T.B._

_October 6, 2005_

"You did well, Drake." She helped him put their tent up. It was Megan's old one

from her Campfire Kids days.

"We both put the tent up."

Torey sat on the well-placed tree branch that was right by their tent. The tree was

knocked over by a vicious storm a few months ago leaving a well-sized branch

tipped on it's side perfect for couple kissing or future of the world pondering.

Drake sat next to her. He didn't want to push, but something was not quite right

with Torey. He noticed it the day she gave him his ID bracelet. He put his arm

around her and if she didn't jump ten feet in the air after he did so.

"Sorry," she said, "I don't mean to be a bundle of nerves today."

"You have nothing to be sorry over."

She rested her head on his shoulder. This could have been a lovely weekend if it

weren't for all these people in the way. Especially the nasty ones of any particular

school not just Belleview.

They'd come later as it was customary for certain types to arrive already drunk

and/or high. Take your pick. Hopefully those cliquey girls would be too busy doing

illegal activities to pay Torey and Drake any mind.

"Do you want to go to the diner?" Drake asked five minutes later.

He could feel her shiver. Not out of coldness but out of fear. Drake didn't want to

say or do anything stupid. He figured it would be best to just be understanding of

whatever it was she was going through.

The local diner was within walking distance two minutes in a diagonal walking

direction from where they parked.

"Yeah," She lifted her head up, amazed that she wasn't crying. "That sounds good.

Don't forget to put your sticker on the tent."

Everyone attending was given stickers to put on their tents along with a note that

some of the more concerned parents had drawn up about leaving your valuables in

your locked cars and not to leave them in the tents. That was due to some idiot

and his juvenile delinquent buddies at Campland on the Bay from the class of

eighty-nine who robbed a few tents when everyone was off doing their various

activities.

"I won't."

Torey _knew_ it was her last time with Drake and she wanted to enjoy all the

moments with him that she could before their eventual 'goodbyes' came so she felt

that she was going to have to do a better job with hiding her emotions.

Drake and Torey sat at one of the black vinyl booths of the old Waterside Diner.

The kind of place that had the old Coca-Cola logo on their lighted pole sign. Drake

flipped through the tableside jukebox selections.

"I don't have any change." He used the last of it buying a shared bag of Gummi

Bears earlier in the day.

"I do." She took four quarters out of her change purse.

"Thanks."

J9 was _Devil's Paradise _by Zero Gravity.

"What'll you kids have?" said a waitress thumping the eraser side of her pencil on

her order pad. She had seen better days since her own Campland on the Bay in

1965. There were always one or two couples like Drake and Torey every year that

would come in early or extra late to have the place to themselves. Whether their

love was real or fake was not for the waitress to decide.

Torey wasn't really hungry, but she knew she was going to have to force something

down her throat or Drake really would be concerned and she wanted their last

days to be special so she settled for a grilled cheese.

Drake wanted the breakfast side of the menu and ordered the pancakes and

bacon.

"Awesome,"

Drake smiled and Torey thought he had such a beautiful one. His smile went

beyond a little girl's poster for her overdone room, but something rather deeper

than just a physical trait for the masses of screaming girls to swoon over.

"What is it, Drake?"

"They have all of Zero Gravity's singles on the jukebox."

"Do you need more quarters?"

The waitress came by with their sodas in the tall wavy glasses.

"No, honey."

Her face grimaced when she an overcrowded red Trans Am drive by.

"They better not be stopping." Her heart started to race a bit

It was the Patterson-Crane clique.

"They won't come here until all the other sheep arrive. They're probably going to

set up their camp in the thick of the woods and get drunk not caring about any

random checks."

She nervously opened her purse when three lip glosses slid out and one stopped

by Drake's soda glass.

"Hmm. You're certainly stocked up on strawberry." He raised an eyebrow

"I know it's your favorite."

"It is." He held her hand.

She gathered her lip gloss tubes as the waitress came by to set their orders at the

table.

For Drake she would be happy.

**11:30 PM**

Drake was too sweet with Torey and she didn't know how she wasn't breaking

down crying. He was sitting on the rear bumper of his Fiero waving and saying

'hey' to those he knew while Torey did the magical dressing tricks she could do in

gym class to get ready without anyone seeing her do so. She thought the car

would be much safer than the tent. He wasn't going off with his guy friends and

band mates. She thought those guys must be furious with her because of it.

Shouldn't they be rehearsing for the battle of the bands? He was with her the whole

day and it's not that she didn't love him for it. Torey just didn't want Drake to get his

hopes up. Because what lasting future did they really have together? She stepped

into her powder blue sneakers, but couldn't find the energy to open the car door.

She was dressed rather conservatively in a pink t-shirt covered with a zippered

black hoodie sweatshirt and matching black jogging pants. She also put her hair in

a ponytail. Drake was going to find her revolting she just _knew_ it.

Drake was still wearing his Who _Quadrophenia_ t-shirt and faded jeans. Torey

knew Drake was going to come around to softly tap on the passenger side

window so she opened the door before he walked over.

"I'm sorry I took so long."

She threw her dirty clothes plastic bag in her big Belleview High duffle and put it in

the backseat.

"It's okay," he bent down, "You look cute."

"Thank you."

He kissed her as another wave of immense guilt washed all over her soul. It was

only a matter of time before her and Drake were no more.

**Sunday **

**11:17 AM**

"Good morning, Drake," Torey put her hands through his hair with still closed eyes,

"You may not want to kiss me."

"Why not?"

"I didn't brush my teeth yet."

"I'll risk it."

"Well?"

"You taste good even without the strawberry lip gloss. Hey---"

"What is it?"

"You look good in my shirt."

It was usually reserved for couples after their first time that the female claim

ownership of her boyfriend's/husband's shirt and Torey did when Drake took it off

in the middle of the night and only wore his plain cotton white t-shirt as it felt like it

was 100 degrees in the tent. She also had to take off her sweatshirt. When he left

to use the sparse old-fashioned amusement park styled bathrooms at three o'clock

in the morning that's when she scooped up his shirt. It was not out of a greedy

manipulative way. It was in the way for the reasons that she reached for her wizard teddy

bear at home.

She needed to be comforted. Yesterday was a wonderful day broken up by Drake

and herself talking and hanging out with some of the friendlier people from school.

It was a day when she didn't have to think about the heavy load that was on her

mind. She even learned how to play poker last night. Drake said he was going to

take her to Las Vegas so they could hit the tables someday.

"Thanks, Drake." She tried to smile.

"Do you want to go to the diner for breakfast?" He asked

"Not really. But I do need to brush my teeth and use the girl's room. "

"Okay."

"How about just soda and chips?" She really wasn't hungry but she had to eat

something so he wouldn't worry.

"That sounds like breakfast to me, Torey. I'll get more stuff out of the car."

"Do you think Melanie and Sandy's club is hogging the girls room?"

"They're probably passed out somewhere in the woods or the parking lot."

"I hope so."

He squeezed her hand and she felt safe for the moment.

Torey would escape their wrath for now but her luck of avoiding the Belleview High

bitch clique on this outing wasn't going to last forever.

**9:00 PM**

It was a rainy day in Campland on the Bay. Whenever this happened it was

immediately called _The Woodstock Effect._ Thanks to Lou Remini from the class of

seventy-two.

There would be no informal battle of the bands contest. Torey was allowing herself

to transfer her pain this weekend and listen to Drake play his acoustic guitar.

Sometimes he would sing a song and other times he had to write something

down. It was interesting to see how a creative mind ebbed and flowed. The diner

was packed but they had their own lunch in private. She saw an episode of The 

Brady Bunch and knew to bring her own insulated picnic basket. Drake called her

"amazing", but he was being too nice. Rain always did make the cracks show in

the armor.

Everything can happen in the blink of the eye, one minute you are alive and waving

to a crowd of your supporters from your motorcade and then you get plummeted

with gunshots. Or you were simply washing your hands in the girls' room at the

wrong time such as it was at nine o'clock at night. A light drizzle hung over the

Campland on the Bay.

"Look who it is!"

Oh no. Torey _knew _this was going to happen.

"Shut up, Melanie."

"Hmm. Where's your bodyguard, Mindy Crenshaw?"

"I believe she left to become a popular cheerleader!" Sandy gloated

"Awww, did Drakey give you his shirt?"

Melanie touched her shoulder and Torey pushed Melanie's hand away

"Don't you girls have something better to do?"

"You are such a LOSER! And Drake is a LOSER for choosing you. Have you had

intercourse yet? Have you even blown him yet? Something tells me you haven't!"

"VIRGIN!" Sandy chimed in

"No one really likes a goody-goody two shoes!"

"STOP IT! Leave US alone!" She didn't know where the strength came from but

she pushed them away and once she started running she didn't want to stop.

She didn't even realize that Drake was behind her trying to catch up to her. His

heart beating rapidly when he noticed a speeding car almost hit Torey when she

ran across the street and went behind the diner. The driver called her "a bitch",

which caused Drake to say something nasty in return.

"Torey! What happened?"

As soon as Drake said that she fell on the concrete.

"Go away, Drake! I don't want you to see me like this," she forced herself up

before he was able to help her to her feet.

Her jeans were ripped in the knees and it wasn't cool to have ripped jeans as in

her mother would kill her for ruining her clothes.

He touched her shoulder and she flinched like she sometimes did. As if he were a

stranger and not her boyfriend. She hated herself for that.

"Leave me, Drake! I can't give you the relationship that you want! Just leave me!"

She walked around to the side of the diner as the tears poured out of her.

"I'm not leaving you."

"Then I'll leave."

"Torey," He never thought he'd be on the receiving end and you know what it did

hurt like Hell. But there was more to this than 'simple' teenage angst and Drake

wasn't going to let her give up.

He followed her back to the tent.

"No, Drake. Let me pack my things and I can get a ride from Rachel in my history

class."

"I saw Melanie and Sandy laughing by the girl's room when you were running away.

What did they say to you?"

Drake was not expecting what was to follow. Torey couldn't even look him in the

eyes and the tent was too hot, more humid than it was the previous night. She had

to go back outside before she fainted. Torey sat on the long branch and was glad

to have a tent location that was rather private.

"It was Christmas Eve 1991 and I was four years old," She spoke softly as Drake

sat next to her, holding her hand. "Mom was working because well you know her

habits. I got an old hand me down Barbie still in its box. I think it was called the

Angel Face Barbie and she was dressed like Laura Ingalls. The corners of the box

were crushed. Dad took me into their bedroom and lit candles. I can remember the

Beach Boys Christmas record skipping on that annoying _St. Nick_ song. He put his

hand down my underpants and made me touch his you know. You know you feel

pleasure and that's where much of the guilt comes from because you realize this is

WRONG. He did this for two years because that was the time mom divorced him.

He made me swear that I must not tell Mom. If she knew about the abuse she never let

on. And I never told her." Torey released her hand from Drake's and stood up, "So, I

can't give you what I know you want. You can leave me and I'll understand—just don't

forget me Drake. Because I do love you. I just know we can't last forever. As much as I

want us to last."

The tears were streaming down his cheeks as well. "Oh, Torey, I'm so sorry," he

hugged her in the most gentle way he could, "I love you and I'm not going

anywhere."

"You _still _want me_. WHY?_ You should've heard the cruel things those bitches

said..."

"Ssh," he put his index finger to her lips, "Don't worry about them. You say you love

me right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I love you—_and I'm not going anywhere_. I'll admit I don't know what to say

except that I'd love to see your father get killed." He didn't really care about the

irony of that statement considering the uncalled for murder of Spidey Parker for

drug money.

Drake didn't want to scare Torey but what he really wanted to say was he wouldn't

mind being the one that pulled the trigger on such a sick man who would sexually

molest his daughter.

"It's a difficult subject. It's one that I'd rather forget myself, but of course you can't.

You don't find me revolting after all I told you?"

"No. You are wonderful. You didn't do anything wrong. By the way how is your

knee?"

"Sore. I'll be fine though. What time is it?"

He looked at his watch "Nine thirty."

"I'm really ruining this Campland on the Bay experience for you." She sighed

heavily.

"Torey, you aren't ruining anything." He was almost afraid to touch her, but he knew

that would send a bad signal and he didn't want to do anything that even remotely

looked like it would hurt her and her lifelong recovery. Drake ever so carefully put

his arm around Torey so they could walk back to their tent together.

Once they got in their double sleeping bag bed Drake and Torey snuggled next to

each other. He really wasn't all that tired, but he knew she was exhausted and

needed to rest.

"I love you, Drake." She whispered into his chest and rested her head on the red

number nine on his yellow t-shirt hoping that in time she could snag this one as

well. "Thank you for not letting me run away."

"I love you too, Torey." Drake kissed her head trying to stop the lump in his

throat, "_You are always going to be safe with me_."

His strong embrace was indeed keeping her safe from her constant nightmares

that were going to take a lifetime if at all to heal but she could face her demons as

long as Drake was by her side.

Drake let more tears fall down his face when he knew that Torey was asleep. To

carry that weight around for the length of time she had to, made him appreciate his

mother more than normal. It seemed you needed a license to drive a car, but any

jerk could be a parent.

Sometimes Torey would shake in her sleep. It scared Drake because he was

afraid of doing the wrong thing but he knew the best thing was to be there, hold

her, and whisper calmly in her ear hoping that it would reach her in her dream state,

to make her see the light at the end of a very dark and lonely tunnel.

When he got home he was going to do two things. One get his full emotions out the

only proper way he could—in a song and two open up his bottom dresser drawer

and play the tape Spidey made on his fifth birthday party.

Even if it still meant the end of Peter Parker he'd have traded childhoods with

Torey in a second.

_"You spoke softly and revealed your truth and it was then that I realized your _

_abandoned youth."_ Drake Parker/2005

Notes: The reason Saturday's section is 'missing' is because it belongs to a Josh

storyline as this was getting too lengthy to include them both in the same

chapter.

A special thanks to RandomIsMyMind. I hope that you liked the results of

our t-shirt conversation. I know I took a more serious turn with it. Thanks for your

suggestions.


	14. Ammendium to the Special Delivery

**Chapter 14**

**Ammendium to the Special Delivery**

**Monday—After Campland on the Bay**

**Afternoon**

Torey sat at her desk looking at a catalog of enjoyable noisy objects while her hair

dried. She inevitably jumped when the doorbell rang. Habits that you had all your life

couldn't change overnight, but she wish that impending fear feeling would go away. She

knew it wasn't Drake because he was going to pick her up from work. Torey was angry

that her mother was making her go to work after her long weekend. Granted her mother

didn't know the details of Campland on the Bay, but after a short holiday trip you think

her mother would have said take the day off, but Torey was more concerned on why she

didn't just rebel and call the store to say she wasn't coming in today.

She was wrapped her emerald green below the knee robe. She did put on her ballet

styled slip on bedroom slippers though. Torey peeked through the sheer white curtain of

the thin side windows by the front door to see the Che Bella truck parked across the

street.

"Are you Torey Becker?" asked the man with a green button down smock on with a

nametag with 'Marty' embossed on it pinned to chest.

"Yes."

"Please sign here." He handed her a thin pointed dark blue Sharpie with his clipboard.

"Okay."

He handed her a long gold box with a red bow on it.

"This is for you."

She smiled as her eyes filled with water. "Wait here and I'll get you---"

"The tip has been taken care of. Have a nice day."

_Drake, you didn't._

Torey put the box on the coffee table and almost didn't want to open it.

In front of her were the most perfect red roses she had ever seen in her life mixed with

the babies breath nestled in purple tissue paper. She picked one of the roses out and

caressed her face with it. They were so beautiful. Torey took the card off the one piece

of tissue paper that was placed on top.

_Dear Torey,_

_You are worth it. _

_Love,_

_Drake_

Taped to the top of the box was a small padded envelope.

In it was a small note written on Che Bella stationery in Drake's handwriting and an

unmarked cassette tape.

_Dear Torey,_

_This is for you. Naturally, I might be a terrorist so they had to inspect what I was _

_sending and I had to reopen the envelope. But no one but us will ever know what's on _

_the tape. I hope that you like the flowers. I'll see you at 10:00pm tonight._

_Love, Drake_

She was going to be late but didn't care. Drake did offer to take her to work, but she

declined because he went through a lot during that weekend too. She went to the

kitchen to get her favorite Belleek vase. She used her Avon and babysitting money to

pay for it by herself. There were never flowers to put it in it until today.

Torey went upstairs to put the vase on her desk by her lamp. Now she just had to

remember where her cassette player/radio was? Yes, her mom borrowed it and never

returned it back to her room. She was almost nervous to press play once she put the

cassette in.

"This one's for you, Torey. Lots of love, Drake."

_I Cannot Erase _

_By Drake Parker_

_You spoke softly and revealed your truth_

_and it was then_ that _I realized_ _your abandoned youth._

_No one heard your cries then_

_If only I knew you back then._

_A little girl deserves more than a discarded bin toy_

_And to feel safe with someone who was supposed to fill your heart with joy._

_I cannot erase your past_

_Because of you my heart is vast._

_How could someone you were supposed to trust_

_make you swear not to tell with a must?_

_Don't you worry about us_

_I would never be so callous as to make a fuss._

_You mean the world to me_

_filling my heart with glee._

_I cannot erase your past_

_Because of you my heart is vast._

_How could someone you were supposed to trust_

_make you swear not to tell with a must?_

_I wasn't there then like I wish to tread_

_That it happened to me instead._

_I cannot erase your past_

_Because of you my heart is vast._

_How could someone you were supposed to trust_

_make you swear not to tell with a must?_

The song ended with the softest most beautiful guitar playing she had ever heard in her

seventeen years on Earth. Torey wiped her eyes with the sides of her hands.

Even Drake's voice cracked a few times when he tried stopping his own tears and she

could tell where he stopped the tape to resume his singing.

She was amazed at how fast he put this all together. It was a testament to his talent and

his love for her. Torey picked up her phone that was on her end table and dialed

Drake's cell phone.

"This is Drake. Blah."

She loved for someone who was a prolific songwriter who could not be bothered to

make a proper outgoing voice mail message.

_Beep._

"Thank you," She sniffed, "Everything was so beautiful. The flowers. The song. You

validate my very existence Drake. For that and a million other reasons—I love you so

much. I'll see you after work."

When Drake was done trusting his life to the folks at the Che Bella florist shop he came

back home to put a cassette of his own on.

It'd be a slap in the face of his girlfriend who went through something terrible with her

biological father if he couldn't play a joyous tape made by his.

_1991_

"_This is Audrey Parker and today is our son Drake's fifth birthday today."_

"_Hello. My name is Peter Parker and I'm documenting via tape recorder because the_

_greedy doctor Jeff from across the street lost my camcorder on his trip to Mexico._

_It is my son Drake's fifth birthday today. Let's go see what he's up to. I better press stop _

_to conserve the tape."_

"_Audrey! No little boy wants to wear a tie on his birthday. Here hold this. How old are _

_you Drake?"_

"_I'm FIVE today!"_

"_So the people who listen to this tape know I'm taking a picture. Smile."_

"_Peter, I think he looks adorable with the tie."_

"_I know, Mommy. I'm gorgeous. Grandma told me."_

"_We'll let Drake decide. Son, do you want to wear a tie?"_

"_No! Will Katie, Mary, and Susie be coming to my party?"_

"_What about the boys? I'm combing my son's hair. You'd see this people had Jeff not _

_lost my video camera."_

"_I don't like boys. I like girls."_

"_You're going to be a heartbreaker son."_

"_What does that mean, Daddy?"_

"_It means you are going to have so many girlfriend's but you can only have one real _

_one. That the rest will have their hearts broken."_

"_Peter! He's five don't be filling his head with ideas."_

"_Why can't I have them all?"_

"_I'll explain that to you when you're older."_

"_Yes, much older. What games do you want to play at your party today, Drake? _

_Grandma got you pin the tail on the donkey." Audrey asked_

"_I don't want to play that game."_

"_What game do you want to play?" Peter knew what he was going to say._

"_The game where you spin the bottle and have to kiss a girl."_

"_That's MY son!" Peter scooped him up and hugged him._

"_Peter, don't encourage him."_

"_If I don't. Who will? Mommy doesn't understand." Peter whispered in Drake's ear._

_Peter stopped the tape._

"_My son is so cute."_

"_Our son."_

"_Sorry dear. It's a figure of speech. Our son is so cute. Stopping the tape once more to _

_unveil the birthday cake."_

"_This is Peter Parker again. Because no one is going to be able to see the cake, I'll _

_tell you it's a space shuttle with Drake's name and with the USA and American flag _

_logos on it. I'm amazed that my son was able to have an all girl party. One boy showed _

_up but saw all the icky girls and ran home. To which my son replied…"_

"_Peter, I wish you wouldn't save these stories."  
_

_"Audrey, you need to stop worrying. Drake replied 'more girls for him'. You act like he's _

_going to take his milk money and run to Vegas for a quickie wedding."_

"_He might! Peter hit the lights."_

"_Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Drake…Happy _

_Birthday to you!" _

"_Can I blow out my candles now?"_

"_Of course." Audrey said_

"_What did you wish for?" Peter asked_

"_More girls."_

"_Ha ha! That's my—OUR son, Audrey." He kissed him on the cheek._

_Audrey gave him a hug and a kiss on the other cheek._

_The tape automatically turned around to the other side._

"_Eight o'clock and my son is sleeping on the sofa. He's too cute to wake up. I just love _

_him so much. He really is a chip off the old block. Audrey worries too much. He'll grow _

_up fine. He didn't play with any of his presents much except the tambourine he got _

_from Katie. Drake, I want you to know that you had a good time today. You liked _

_playing hide and go seek with the girls. You were running your poor mother ragged _

_today, but in a good way. She's worried that you are going to grow up to be a cad. I _

_won't let that happen. That's what Mom's do they worry. At least the good ones do. _

_Stopping the tape to carry my precious Drake upstairs."_

"_This is still Peter Parker."_

"_Daddy—"_

"_Did I wake you son?"_

"_Kinda. Will you sing me a song, Daddy?"_

"_Of course. Did you enjoy your birthday party today?"_

"_Yeah!"  
_

_"Peter—"  
_

_"Hi, Mommy. Daddy is going to sing me a song."_

"_He'll never wake up tomorrow morning."_

"_Your mother worries too much son."_

"_I love you, Drake. Sweet dreams."_

"_Night, Mommy."_

"_Do you want all those blankets on you?"_

"_Just one."_

"_Stopping the tape again to undo some Mother blankets."_

"_I'm back and now I will sing my son a special birthday night song and afterwards _

_Mommy and me will tell you about a special delivery coming in nine months."_

The tape stopped and started to rewind itself.

"Damn." Drake pushed the stop button.

Just damn.

At the same time he was grateful to have a father who touched him with kindness.

He still would have traded pleasure with pain in a split second to save Torey's

tormented soul.

Drake was tired and since he wasn't going to work today, what could he say other than

he was just a little too lazy regarding scheduled sanctioned learning and day-to-day

clock punching jobs? He figured he could sleep for a bit until dinner. No one else was

home when he got there and that was even counting Josh. Drake hoped that Walter and

Audrey were on the right track. He was certain that Torey was loving her flowers and the

song. It surprised him how fast those lyrics came to him. Most of them played in his

mind on their way home from Campland on the Bay when he noticed how sweet that

Torey looked while she was sleeping. It might have been an easy song to write but they

were the most difficult lyrics to sing. If one smile came onto her face today and if she just

felt better for a little while, then it was all worth it.

He was uncertain on his Christmas present to her though. It's not because he didn't

want to. Drake did want to. Which was odd considering his young age and the fact that

it never entered his mind regarding any other girl before. He just wanted her to know that

everything was for her and her alone and not out of a well-guided but still sympathetic

emotion. Their feelings were real. He hoped that, that would be enough.

_Please,_

Drake thought as he drifted off to sleep,

_Have Torey say 'yes' to my question and that our love is enough to see us through._

Notes: Josh's storyline will be in Chapter 15.

Drake Parker's birthdate not revealed on purpose.


	15. The Creep

**Chapter 15**

**The Creep**

**First Friday in October—His Campland on the Bay experience**

**Afternoon**

Josh still put up a lousy tent. He was hoping that Mindy would join him. He felt that he

was making progress in that department. He could lift more weights then he could just a

month ago. Josh was certain he'd be on the football team in no time. And no Equipment

Manager nerdy bullshit, but being on the actual team. Mindy was so sexy in that

cheerleading uniform. Mom Josie recommended to give her "all the time that she

needed", but he didn't think to ask Mom Audrey about it. This was how Josh was going

to refer to them now on to cut down on the confusion. Not to their respective company of

course. Josh even made sure to go to Smart-Aid to buy a pack of boy wrappers just

incase on the off chance that Mindy would want to go all the way this weekend.

"Nice tent, Josh." It was Mindy and she was talking to him.

"It's crooked on the top, but it's nice and _roomy_ on the inside, Mindy."

"Why would I care about how roomy your tent is?" The rest of the Garfield cheerleading

squad started to gather around her.

"I don't know."

They walked away whispering and laughing. It was those girls poisoning her mind. He

was going to do all he could to get Mindy back on this trip even if he couldn't put

together a tent.

**4:03 PM**

Josh was sitting up in his tent reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Romance.He

needed to get Mindy away from her cheerleading friends and into this tent. It was one of

the most important things in his young life ever.

At least no one was picking on him. And he hoped that no one would. He drank a can of

root beer and ate some thin unsalted pretzel sticks. He thought it was quite rude of

Drake to try and hog all of soda for his cooler. So he made sure to take all of the cans of

root beer out while he wasn't looking and put it in his. He also went to Spencer's and

bought some chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla body oils. He wanted Mindy so bad that

it was getting more difficult to take Mom Josie's advice of giving Mindy all the time she

needed. She had enough time.

Hasn't he suffered enough?

**10 PM**

For someone trying to be popular and the total opposite of how he was at Belleview

High. Josh Nichols certainly spent a great deal of his time in his tent. But he wasn't

enjoying the solitude. He was doing what most young boys do when they are alone.

"Nichols!" Someone called out from his tent

"What?" Josh was startled out of his own skin. "Just a minute."

He reached for his strawberry antibacterial hand wash.

"Hurry up!"

"Keep your pants on!"

Josh opened the flap of his tent.

"This is for you," some boy he did not know handed him a note, "Follow the instructions."

It was a blue piece of paper that smelled like perfumed baby powder.

He turned on his electrical lantern.

_Josh,_

_Meet us by the dock at midnight._

_Signed,_

_The Gatekeepers_

What in the heck was this about? How did he know if this note was from someone at

Garfield or someone at Belleview? What if it was Drake trying to play a practical joke on

him?

It was perfumed but it could've been a trap, but he was too curious not to go. So he

figured he'd better eat some trail mix and rest up before heading out at midnight to see

whom The Gatekeepers were and what they wanted with him.

**Saturday-Midnight**

No one was by the dock. Because it was a Campland on the Bay self-made rule started

by some senior in sixtyseventyeighty something Josh didn't care that only geeks swam

on the first night. If you wanted to be part of the in-crowd you wouldn't dip your toe in the

water until the Saturday night going into the Sunday morning party. When Josh figured

this out he started to head back where he was stopped by a girl in his new math class at

Garfield.

"Josh, you can't leave. You just got here."

"Trish? Is it?"

"Hmm. Hmm. Here's your next note."

And she scampered off laughing.

He could hear other laughs in the distance.

_Josh,_

_Find ten pinecones and bring them to the tent with the Hello Kitty stickers on it._

_Signed,_

_The Gatekeepers_

Josh was busy losing his identity in swift clips like the rainforest being destroyed

**11:17 AM**

Josh was exhausted. He found the pinecones. It took him longer than it should have

considering he had no lantern. But some kid from Clairemont fell sorry for him and let

him have his extra flashlight. He fell asleep somewhere in the woods and could've sworn

he had contact with a poison bush. He passed out in front of the tent with the Hello Kitty

stickers on it.

"Hey, Josh, wake up!"

It was that annoying Trish girl again.

"I found your stupid pinecones!" He replied without getting up

"Good." She picked them up and tossed the bag containing them in the nearest

garbage bin. "Get us pancakes at the diner and orange juice. No bacon. If you do that—

you might score points with the Queen."

And at that moment Drake description was right Josh was a tool.

**Sunday**

**11:20 PM**

This trip sucked. He was being used for the amusement of a bunch of semi cruel

teenage girls. Was Mindy aware of this? Were they doing all of these things behind her

back? Why were they calling themselves The Gatekeepers? To which gate did they

keep? After he got them ALL breakfast. He collapsed in his tent after eating his own

breakfast of root beer and barbeque potato chips.

He was done.

Josh was so sick and tired getting the short end of the stick. _Drake was probably losing _

_his virginity right now_ _and that was making Josh considerably angry_.

Garfield High was supposed to be a new start. He tried to wear the cool clothes and

speak the latest teen lingo. Josh wasn't at the new school long, _but he still wanted a new _

_life to happen instantly._ Shouldn't it have if Mindy Crenshaw was already there and she

could have paved the road for him?

He was tired of going on a scavenger hunt for pine cones in the dark, getting The

Gatekeepers their food orders, and anything else they had planned. Well it was going to

stop now.

Didn't Josh Nichols have a shred of dignity left in him?

He didn't like the feeling of marching to the tent. Josh was a good kid who tried to do all

the right things. Listen to your parents, obey your teachers, dot your 'i's and cross your

't's, look both ways before crossing the street, say please, say thank you, and help little

old ladies to cross streets. He was tired of being nice when he got nothing to show for it.

Mindy—he assumed she was the Queen? She didn't look so royal sleeping in an old

Army issued sleeping bag.

"Mindy," Josh kneeled down, "Wake up."

She must have been the Queen because she had this nice sized tent all to herself.

"Josh," Mindy wiped the sleep from her eyes, "Is that you?"

"Yeah it is."

"Do you care to explain what you are doing in my tent?"

"This."

Josh put his arms around Mindy and pulled her to him with a force she never felt before.

Before she could react he planted a big greedy kiss on her lips.

_And Drake was the self-serving one? That's why he was cuddling with his girlfriend at _

_that very moment, trying to soothe her nightmares away._

"Josh!" Mindy pushed him off her, "What in the Hell do you think you are doing?"

"Mindy, you know you want to."

Josh wasn't prepared for Mindy's Girl Scout whistle that brought The Gatekeepers out

of their Hello Kitty stickers tent and boy were they ready to beat the crap out Josh!

"Get out of here! You Creep!" Trish said

It was as if he was being woken up out of a conscious dream. He didn't mean to go that

far. And he was certain he would NEVER not respect a woman. The scary part was that

he wasn't really certain that if she didn't blow that whistle that he would have forced

himself on her.

The girls including Mindy pushed him out of her tent. Their fun with him was over. He

crossed a line. A line into creepdom. He was the nerd at Belleview. He was the video

game loving geek contrasted by his cool, rock and roll loving, the brother with perfect

hair Drake.

_Drake._

_He needed Drake_.

But he ruined that relationship. While a lot of the back-and-forth ness had been going on

for months it was the desire to keep the Crenshaw dream alive that not only cemented

the state of the relationship he had with his brother, but his parents too.

Josh should have been elated over the sticky shower Drake and Megan gave Mindy.

He dreaded going back to school on Tuesday. He was going to forever be known as

_The Creep._

There was no marching back to his tent just the hung head low slow walk of doom.

Josh felt his face. Some of those girls had long fingernails. He supposed he did

deserve those scratches. He had black and blue marks on his legs. His jeans could

cover those.

He found his cell phone at the bottom of his sleeping bag and started to dial Drake's

number to leave a voice mail, but stopped himself from doing so.

Josh supposed he could've gone looking for their tent. But he didn't want to spoil Drake

and Torey's fun time.

Wait a minute! There was someone he could call.

"This is Megan Parker. I am not available so that means I'm probably tormenting Drake.

Leave a message at the beep. Bye."

Where was the …and Josh? As in "I'm probably tormenting Drake and Josh".

"Megan, it's me Josh. Do you think you can give Drake a message from me? He's with

Torey now and I don't want to bother him here. So just tell him when you see him on

Monday, okay? Thanks. Bye."

He closed his eyes tight, but was not able to drift away.

_Josh Nichols did not want to be forever known as The Creep._


	16. Help!

**Chapter 16**

**Help!**

**Monday—5:30 PM**

**After Drake wakes up from his nap at the end of Chapter 14.**

Drake had a strange dream. The best dreams were the literal ones because they made

the most sense. Like playing to a packed stadium. You didn't have to read into a book

of symbols to figure out what it meant. And Drake Parker step foot in a library? No way.

Well, there was something he was going to have to research, but that was for later. He

saw visions of a tire iron while he heard the loud sound of thunder. He had no idea on

what it could mean. Unless it was his subconscious mind symbolizing Torey's dark

childhood hence the dark rain and a person could use the tire iron in a harmful way. He

really wanted to push the mental image out of his mind.

"HEY!" Megan squirted Drake with her Super Soaker water pistol.

"M-Megan! Do you have to be so immature?"

"Yeah!"

Drake wiped his wet face with his hand

"What do you want?"

"Josh left a voice mail on my cell phone. He wants to talk to you."

"Well, I don't want to talk to him." Drake slid back down into his bed.

"He sounded upset."

"Good."

"Maybe, you should talk to him Drake?"

"Megan, whose side are you on?"

"I don't choose sides. You both can be Boobs."

"Whatever. What happened with Mom and Dad this weekend?"

"I don't know. Mom's making dinner and Dad's at work."

"So they didn't get back together?"

"I don't think so."

"Well, that just sucks."

"That's life, Drake." Megan replied as she left the room giving her brother one more

squirt in his pretty face.

"HEY!"

But she was already gone and Drake was too tired to chase her. He wiped his face with

his blanket.

He felt scummy. He needed to take a shower before dinner. Drake decided to see if he

had any voice mail on his cell phone.

"You have one message. It is new. To play your message press one."

"Thank you. Everything was so beautiful. The flowers. The song. You validate my very

existence Drake. For that and a million other reasons—I love you so much. I'll see you

after work."

Drake knew he couldn't erase her past hence the lyrics to the song he wrote, but if he

could make her feel just a little bit better then that's all that mattered.

No one ever said he validated their very existence before. Torey made him a better

man.

"If you would like to delete your message press three."

He just couldn't erase this message. Not now. Drake put his cell phone on his dresser

when he heard the sound of Josh's footsteps. Now he had to actually prove with his

actions and not his theory that Torey actually made him a better person.

"Drake!" Josh stumbled in the room as if he were drunk.

He looked terrible. Josh's hair was a mess and it looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"You have to help me! Please." He put his hands on Drake's shoulders.

Drake didn't really know what to say.

"What's wrong?"

Stubborn until the end Drake Parker was. He backed away so Josh would not be

touching him.

"_I think I could've done that terrible thing."_

"What terrible thing?"

Drake could really care less. He just wanted this conversation over with. He wasn't

ready to forgive and forget where Josh was concerned.

"_That terrible thing to a girl."_

"What were you about to do, Josh?" Drake cracked his knuckles.

"I _wanted _Mindy. I had to _have_ Mindy. If her friends didn't stop me—_I think I_ _could've—_

_could've…done that terrible thing."_ Josh fell to his knees as he let himself breakdown

once more.

All of a sudden Drake cared. The images of Torey telling him not twenty four hours ago

about what her father did to her and this little weasel was admitting to him that he

could've raped Mindy Crenshaw if her friends didn't come to her aid? Is that what this

jerk was saying?

"You are sick!" Drake kicked Josh while he was already on the floor.

It would've been more painful had he been wearing shoes or better yet his boots.

"D-Drake," Josh coughed, "P-please help me!"

"I'll help you!" Drake picked Josh up from off the floor only to pound him into the wall.

"Don't you ever!"

"Drake! Stop!" Megan came in to see Drake punching Josh in the stomach and Josh

not fighting back.

Drake did stop. But it was not because his little sister told him told him to do so. Josh

slid down the wall sobbing. At that moment Megan did feel sorry for him and almost

guilty for all the practical jokes she ever played on him.

"Where are you going?" Megan asked when Drake put on his sneakers, put his jean

jacket on, and grabbed his keys off his desk.

"Out."

This was terrible, so much for taking a shower and having a barely tolerable minus Dad

family dinner and so much for being a better man.

"Are all right, Josh?"

"N-no."

Screw going to therapy Josh felt he should be living with his therapist twenty four/seven.

"Why was Drake beating you up?"

"Because I deserved it," Josh stood up, "Listen, I'm going to go to bed now. Tell Mom

I'm not hungry."

"Oh—okay."

Although she would never really admit it Megan hated that her family was falling apart.

With only her and Audrey at the dinner table it would be a case of 'why bother?' but

Megan wouldn't want her mother to eat alone. So she would do her best to act like a

"good little girl" while she thought of more ways to make neighbor boy cry because she

liked him.

Her second chance family was falling apart and even Megan and her super intelligent

young brain was too powerless to stop it.

"Is this register open?"

"Drake," Torey cracked open a wrapper full of dimes in the cash register slot, "What are

you doing here?"

"Buying a candy bar."

She could tell by the look in his eyes and scratch mark on his hand that something had

happened.

"No you're not, " She took the money out of her smock pocket, "It's on me."

"Is it your break yet, Torey?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll cover for you." said one of Torey's co-workers. A twenty-ish

brunette that had to support two little kids with no child support on a grocery clerk's

wages.

"It is now." And she would have taken her break anyway even if it weren't a scheduled

one.

They went into one of the back stockrooms for privacy.

Drake and Torey sat on some stacked pallets holding each other and kissing until he

found the courage to speak.

"Josh and I got into a fight today."

Torey could tell by the tone of his voice that it wasn't just a raised voice kind of fight and

the scratch mark on his left hand that she noticed earlier.

"What happened, Drake?"

He stood up. "He wanted my help. But it was hard to be receptive because I still don't

know if I want to forgive him…but that's not even what we fought over. He

almost---" Drake stopped.

"Why'd you stop?"

"Because I don't want to say words that make you think of your dad."

"It's okay, Drake. You don't have to walk on egg shells around me."

"Josh confided in me that he almost raped Mindy at Campland."

That announcement made Torey stand up as well.

"What?"

"I kind of lost control after he told me that. Because I thought of what you went through."

She hugged him. At that moment Drake was the one who needed the comforting.

"Josh is not my father. He doesn't have that evilness in him."

Torey kissed Drake softly on the lips.

"I don't know. People can snap."

"Yes. I just think Josh just suffered from a lapsed judgment. If he could relive the moment

again, I bet he wouldn't have tried going that far."

"You're too kind," Drake opened the chocolate candy bar, "Half?"

"No thanks. Drake, will you do me a favor?"

"Torey, you don't have to ask. What is it?"

"You aren't going to like it, but I hope that you will hear me out."

For a split second he almost thought the 'favor' was wanting to break up with him and

Drake Parker was never one to have those Josh-esque types of insecurities.

"I promise."

"Tonight rather than pick me up and _stuff_, I would really like you to use your time having a

heart to heart with Josh."

Torey was a wonderful woman with a selfless heart, but at the same time Drake didn't

want forgo their make out time just to talk to Josh. Hey, if he was going to be selfish, let

it be over wanting to make out with his girlfriend and not wanting to have an Oprah

moment with Josh.

"I don't know…"

"Right now, Josh is thinking he's some kind of monster. He needs reassurance that he's

not."

"But I don't know if I can ever forgive him for some of the things he did and the situation

with Mom and Dad that he caused."

"You two are not going to heal overnight. He needs to know that he's not some

degenerate."

"Why me?"

"Because when he was scared after what he thought he could do. It was _you_ that he

wanted help from."

"Torey, I didn't mean to beat him up. It just sort of happened. I just thought of you---"

"It's all right, Drake…"

"Torey!" One her co-workers entered the room, "You better get back to your register.

The boss man is coming."

"I guess that's my cue to leave. I'll talk to Josh for you."

"And I'll have my cell phone with me so you can call me afterwards."

"Okay," he threw his candy bar wrapper away in the metal wastebasket. "At least I got to

eat my dinner."

"That candy bar was your dinner?"

"Yeah. Well, I don't want you to get into any trouble. So, I'll leave from the back door. I

love you, Torey."

They shared a small kiss by the swinging doors with the small square shaped windows.

"I love you too, Drake."

Torey knew that Drake couldn't stand the roller coaster style of relationship that he and

Josh were having even before this recent more serious tiff. Every time that they made

up something would happen again and Drake got sick of it and closed all the doors

marked Josh. Especially after he saved his life. Didn't Josh realize that Drake could

have left him for dead? When Walter and Audrey separated Drake not only made sure

the Josh doors were closed but also that they were filled with concrete where nothing

could penetrate them.

Sometimes no matter how hard people try some people are just not meant to be a part

of each other's lives.

Drake sat in his car for a good ten minutes before entering the house. He thought of the

promises he made like always being there and being his brother's keeper. Maybe one

shouldn't make such grand promises.

He took a deep breath as he closed his car door. This was going to be difficult. Drake

was dreading the long walk to Josh's room, his throat felt as if he ate shards of glass

when he saw Josh sitting at the kitchen table eating a small bowl of vanilla pudding.

"J-Josh," Drake went to the refridgerator for a bottled water, "I want to talk to you."

"Save it, Drake."

Now see. This was the kind of thing that pissed Drake off.

"Excuse me?"

"You are only talking to me because Torey probably made you."

"I'm not going to lie to you. Yes. My girlfriend suggested that we talk."

"If you don't want to talk to me on your own then I don't want to talk to you."

"And I'm supposed to reassure your mind? I'm not your therapist."

"No one asked you to be!" Josh got up and put his empty bowl in the sink.

"Screw you, Josh." Drake walked out of the kitchen.

Torey was going to be so disappointed in him. The truth was he was quite disappointed

in himself. He was going to lock himself in his room for some guitar playing therapy of

his own.

_Sometimes no matter how hard people try some people are just not meant to be a _

_part __of each other's lives._


	17. Dinner for Two

**Chapter 17**

**Dinner for Two**

**10:30 PM**

**Same night**

There was a light wind in the air in San Diego. Beautiful Autumn nights to have a

romantic walk with your sweetheart at Crystal Pier or to be able to ride the Giant Dipper

roller coaster in Belmont Park when people in Maine are putting their summer clothes in

storage. It wasn't a beautiful night where Drake Parker was concerned. The house

across the street was blaring The Rolling Stones' _Sympathy for the Devil_. He must

have been deep in his thoughts because at first he didn't feel Torey's arm go around

him.

"How'd you know I was here?"

"You didn't phone and when I looked out the window I saw you sitting on my porch. How

long were you planning to stay out here by yourself?"

"I just didn't want my bring my bad mood inside." Drake held Torey's hand.

"It didn't go well with Josh." There was no point in making that a question, even a

rhetorical one at that. The answer was already on Drake's face.

"No. He had a feeling that you asked me to talk to him and he got upset over it. I wasn't

going to lie to him, you know? Then I got stubborn and told him off. I went in my room,

put my amp up to '10' and played loud random solos to bother Josh. I probably

disturbed my mom, but she didn't bang on the door. Then I fell asleep, took another

shower, and here I am on your porch."

They shared a tender kiss.

"I'm sorry, Drake. I think I gave you some bad advice."

"You have nothing to apologize for Torey. Josh is an asshole."

"Where'd you park?"

"Down the block. Because your neighbors are having a party and took up all the spaces

on the street."

"That's Justin Lieber. He dropped out of San Diego State and is a dope head. Come

inside. We have the house to ourselves."

It was an offer that Drake Parker couldn't refuse.

"So, your mom is working late tonight?"

"Doesn't she always? Close your eyes!"

Torey blocked Drake from entering the door.

"Hmm, your hand smells like lemons."

"That's my soap. After you step in, you can open your eyes."

Torey spent extra money on a cab ride after work to go to Clarity Soaps and Candles. In

her mind if a couple was going to make it past "just a high school romance" stage it

would take both an effort from the man and the woman and tonight she wanted it be all

for Drake. She had a sneaking feeling it wasn't going to go anywhere with him and

Josh. Torey purchased two pink marbled pillar candles and put them on top the

decorative electric (how she hated that!) fireplace.

"How nice."

Drake kissed her on the cheek.

"There's more."

"You made me dinner?" He could smell something heavenly coming from the kitchen.

"I bought dinner."

There really was a difference between girls who let you kiss them in the movie theater

only after buying them one soda and someone who cared enough about you to make

you dinner knowing that you only ate breakfast and a candy bar. Drake already knew

this but he would always welcome the reminder that there was only one special person

to come into your life. Just as he would always know he almost threw her away twice.

Spidey Parker wasn't that stupid.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do this."

She also purchased two cotton linen scented taped candles.

"I wanted to," Torey handed Drake a book of matches, "Light the candles so I can turn

off the lights."

"I wish we didn't have school tomorrow."

"Drake you always wish that."

"True."

"I hope pasta is fine?"

"Yeah it is."

A can of spaghettios would have been okay by him. He could tell that Torey put a lot of

thought and effort into making sure his needs were met when it was only yesterday

evening that he learned about the abuse of his girlfriend by her own father. Girls like

Torey just don't come into one's life everyday.

She wanted to push her own needs to the side tonight so that he and Josh could be

friends again. The woman that was making Drake Parker a better man was indirectly

kicked by the guy who couldn't see the forest from the trees because Drake didn't come

to talk to him on his own. Fuck him.

_Josh who?_

Torey's request almost took Drake by surprise that he almost dropped his fork on the

floor. It had nothing to do with sex. He'd wait a million years for her most imitate touch if

he had to.

"You don't mind, Drake?" She drank her ginger ale.

"No, I don't mind. I'm curious though. I mean what about your mother?"

Torey laughed. "She doesn't come home until after two in the morning. And she doesn't

check up on me. Our Campland experience was stressful and that was before I told you

about my Dad. And by the time we were relaxed it was over."

"Torey," Drake raised his glass, "A toast for you. You're the best."

The truth was he really didn't want to sleep alone anymore. They were going to be

graduated and gone in less than a year. It seemed rather stupid to have to play by the

parental rulebook.

"Thanks. Do you want anymore pasta?"

"No. I'm full."

"Are you sure?"

"Why?"

"Because I made chocolate chip cookies."

Well she cut them from the pre-made dough log. But it was the thought that counts.

"Torey, you didn't have to go through all this trouble."

She stood up to put the dishes in the sink. The Becker's didn't own a dishwasher.

"Drake, you're not any trouble."

She kissed him on the cheek loving the feel of his stubble on her face.

"Looks like you forgot to shave today."

"Mind?" Drake asked as Torey put the plate of cookies down between them on the

table.

"No. But if I tell you are sexy it'll go to your head." Torey joked

"I already know I'm sexy. You just confirm it so I don't appear to be an egomaniac."

"You're silly." She poured the milk in two of the commemorative San Diego Chargers

glasses that were a gas station premium a few years ago. They were so old that the

blue and gold enameling was starting to chip.

"You're beautiful. I hope you already know that yourself."

"In time. Now it's my turn to make a toast."

"Okay…" Drake raised his glass

"Thank you, Drake."

"For what?"

"For saying what you mean and meaning what you say."

She couldn't wait to share another slumber with her boyfriend tonight. Torey hoped in

her diary that someday that she and Drake would have the happy ending that she

always wanted. It wasn't going to be easy. She knew their lack of non-sex had to be a

thorn in the roses. She was the reason that her boyfriend was _still a virgin._ But Drake

always said he understood and he never pushed her, which sometimes made her feel

worse, although she never let on. Now with the revelation of the sins of her Father, he

would be even more sensitive to her needs. Torey didn't know when this right time for

them was going to be and she prayed that Drake would never leave her. 'Forever' is a

concept. It doesn't mean it was going to be reality.

"I say what is true."

"Why don't you find a movie on TV and I'll wash the dishes?"

"You mean find a movie that we won't bother watching?"

Damn. She wanted this night to be perfect. And she was starting to feel like how she did

at Campland, which was an emotional wreck.

"Drake, you're so bad."

"Are you okay?" he put his arms around her. She flinched like she always did.

"I'll be fine."

"I can do the dishes, it's the least I can do after you made me dinner. Why don't you just

down and relax?"

"I can't ask you do the dishes!"

"Why not?"

"Because you're my guest."

"I don't mind, Torey."

She didn't want them to fight over something as stupid as a bunch of silly dishes.

"Okay. But you'll have to put them away because if mom sees two of everything, she'll

ask me a lot of questions."

"No worries," He could sense she was having flashbacks, "I love you."

Drake lightly kissed her on the lips.

"I love you, too, Drake. Come upstairs in fifteen minutes."

She set the egg timer and put it on the kitchen counter.

Drake figured she was going to change in her pajamas and she didn't want him to

come upstairs until she was fully dressed.

Yes, he'd wait a million years and more if he had to.

Torey was indeed worth it.


	18. A Calm Before the Teenage Storm

**Chapter 18**

**A Calm Before the Teenage Storm**

**Same night**

When you are an adolescent sometimes the most minor flaw can be one of the most

devastating but like a pre-occupied on a cell phone driver not seeing the puppy they are

about to run over, you can never know when that moment was coming. It just happens

when you least expect it. Such as when you get news over a loved one's unexpected

passing you are usually having a buoyant day never thinking that you will come down

from your natural euphoric high.

It's like a paper cut that only needs a mini rectangular band-aid, while you are ready to

prepare a tourniquet.

It was fifteen after eleven at night in the modest sized house on a working class street in

San Diego, California where it was indeed a calm before the teenage storm.

There are two kinds of teenagers in the civilized world. There are the ones that are very

adult oriented who are forty in mind and spirit, but seventeen chronologically. Then there

are the youth who are exactly that. The sunshine, the lollipops, the I don't have a care in

the world and my parents are my safety net. You know the ones who act under their

actual age. But those would just be a stereotype for the ones in the murky middle. The

ones who want to be older, the ones that want to grow, the teenager who just wants to

find their way in the world. Mistakes would be made, but Hell, even sixty five year olds

make mistakes. Why is it so Earth shattering when an adolescent makes one?

The trick is to take that mistake and turn it around as a lesson, because the one thing

they never tell you in high school is that one never stops learning. It's part of your life

process.

None of this mattered right now though. Tonight another puppy is saved as one driver

opts to not be careless and uses a hands free unit.

Tonight was a night of calm.

Drake Parker was never one to have his life mapped out. He never really gave much

serious thought as to what he was going to do _after_ high school. The most adult thing he

thought of was buying an engagement ring for Torey. He knew his "little" (in the scheme

of worldly things it was true) band was not going to be around for much longer. Even if

they didn't start to call Torey, "Courtney Love" behind her back he knew that particular

musical chapter of his life was going to end. He thought about his life, he just didn't

know where he was going to go from here. Surely, his girlfriend, by then fiancée, would

be his side and they could start their life together. Drake knew that Torey was going to

go to college and he never would stop her from her goals. He just didn't realize that his

girlfriend had a different way of looking at that situation.

There was a noise coming from outside that interrupted all the quiet. It must have been

those frat kids from the party across the street. The egg timer went off in his hands and

Drake put it on the refrigerator.

It was then that he noticed the doorknob turn.

"Torey," Drake came upstairs as she opened the bathroom door, "I think your Mother

just came home." He whispered

She pulled Drake in the bathroom when she heard the TV go on.

"Shit. What is she doing home so early?"

Drake laughed, "You look better in my shirts than I do."

It was a basic red t-shirt with black swirls on it. Torey didn't even get time to enjoy the

forbidden flirtation when she heard her Mother come up the stairs.

"Oh no!" she quickly locked the bathroom door.

"Torey, are you in there?" asked forty three year old Laurel Becker as she knocked on

the door.

Torey turned the water faucet on and mouthed, "hide" to Drake.

"Where?"

There wasn't even a window in this bathroom. Unless you counted that purely

decorational octagon shaped one on the side wall.

She pointed to the shower.

"Yes, Mom."

"Open the door."

Torey disliked how her mother always thought she could come in here because they

were "both girls". She pulled the shower curtain closed. Drake thought it was amusing.

What was the worst that could happen? He wasn't going to let Audrey ground him over

something like this. Not when he'd be leaving home in September.

"What took you so long?" Laurel asked when Torey undid the lock making sure to have

a toothbrush in her hand.

"I was getting ready for bed. Why are you home so early?"

"I'm going to steam out the wrinkles out of my uniform." She didn't answer the last part of

her question.

"I can do that, Mom." She took it out of her hands and placed it on the bar.

"Are you still seeing _that boy_?"

"His name is Drake and yes. I don't know why you don't like him, Mom."

"He's a _rock and roll_ musician. They're not to be trusted. Mark my words; he'll only hurt

you in the end. After all he hurt you once before didn't he?"

"Mom..."

Torey was too tired to argue. She hated for Drake being in the room having to hear all

this.

"I'm going to play cards with Denise." That was their backyard neighbor as their houses

weren't side to side on the block, but if you walked from their small backyard straight,

you'd be right in theirs.

"Okay. Goodnight, Mom."

"Night," She faintly kissed her daughter on the cheek, "Torey, you said you would steam

my uniform," Laurel cocked her head up, "Are you waiting for doom?"

"No," Anything to make this woman go away. She reached from behind the curtain to

turn the shower on and hoped that Drake wouldn't get too soaked in the process. "I'll

see you in the morning."

"Ten minutes and then you can turn the shower off."

She closed the door and waited to hear the sound of her mother going down all the

stairs.

"Drake," That was when the laughter hit when Torey saw that Drake due to her Mother's

positioning of the showerhead was a perfect target for the water to soak him

completely, "I'm sorry." Torey turned off the water and continued to laugh.

She handed him a towel.

"You think this is funny?"

"Yeah."

She stepped in the shower and kissed him.

On one hand he was glad that Torey was able to forget about her Father and if she

found him being soaked hilarious then that was a small pay if he should have a bad hair

day tomorrow but on the other hand Mrs. Becker's comments really bothered him. She

didn't know him. The barely met each other and she could easily cast judgment on him

just because he had long (by early '60s standards) hair and played the guitar?

Still it was a nice sound to hear his girlfriend laugh.

"I don't have any spare clothes."

He did think for a split second that he could sleep naked, but he knew Torey would

never go for that. Not now. Not while she was under her mother's thumb.

"Get undressed, Drake."

"What?"

She stepped out of the shower and closed the curtain again,

"I'll do your clothes. I have a load to do anyway."

"Um…what will I wear? Besides one of my t-shirts."

"One of my mom's ex-boyfriend's left a pair of sweat pants behind."

He'd rather be naked.

"I do have a unisex robe from my Aunt Jane. But it's ugly. It's got a Jack of Hearts on it.

She got it in Atlantic City."

"That's better than the sweat pants." He carefully threw his clothes over the shower bar.

"Okay. It's in my closet on the hook," Torey didn't peek, "I'll be back in ten minutes. You

can put on the stereo."

It amazed him that she didn't peek. He'd have looked at his own body and he most

certainly would have looked at hers if Torey wanted him to.

All in good time he supposed.

There was nothing on the radio that held Drake's interest. His heart filled up when he

saw his roses proudly displayed on her desk in quite a fancy vase.

"Hey, you look nice in that robe." Torey put her arms around him.

_Her mother was wrong._

"Thanks. I was just admiring the flowers."

"I know. They're very pretty, Drake. I can't wait to crush them."

"What?"

"I'm going to press some of them for safekeeping."

Drake had a memory of his Grandma doing that with tulips when he was five years old.

"Cool. I know I shouldn't…"

"Drake, I know my mom is a bitch. Ignore her words. I do."

They put their arms around each other and kissed where they fell backwards on her

bed. Her teen dream bed with the pink sheets and purple blankets, it almost seemed

wrong for Drake to be in her bed with her. Not out of any moralistic reason. This was the

bed that she dreamed in.

This was the calm before the teenage storm. Something clouds were going to gather

but it was the one action that was meant to protect that was going to cause some

serious damage to their relationship house. There are no problems when you are

making out, but there are problems when secrets are kept.

"I love you," Torey stroked Drake's cheek with her hand

"I love you, too. Where are you going?"

"To put the clothes in the dryer. You don't want to wear that robe to school do you,

Drake?"

"It'd cause a sensation." He winked

"I'm going to bring up the rest of the cookies."

Life is easy when you are making out and eating cookies but in the next few months and

in the years that followed Torey and Drake were going to have to prove to themselves

and each other that forever meant just that.

"That sounds good. I wish I brought my guitar."

Drake thought life was great. They had school in less than eight hours and here he was

in his girlfriend's bed making out with her and no one was the wiser. He owed Megan a

lot for explaining his absence to Audrey.

'An important band rehearsal. We might have a big paying gig coming up.' Plus she

wouldn't really care since she was dealing with her own problems with Walter. He didn't

mean to exploit that situation, but he wanted to be with Torey, so he would take it

anyway he could.

"Thanks, babe." Drake said as he took the plate of cookies and his glass of milk when

Torey came back into the room.

"No problem," she put her glass down on the end table, "You don't mind if I close the

window?"

"No."

"It's cold in here," Torey put down the window as the curtains lightly fanned out due to the

light breeze, "_It looks like a storm is brewing_."

Notes: A special thanks to 'My heart beats only for you'. This storyline will start here

and end in part three.


	19. Sticks and Stones

**Chapter 19**

**Sticks and Stones**

**Tuesday**

Josh Nichols really didn't want to go to school today. Heck any more future 'Golden

Dork Awards' were already ruined thanks to Drake's suggestion that they skip school

when they thought Walter was having an affair a few months ago. How could he face his

classmates at his new school? Even those seniors that didn't attend the Campland

event were all going to know about it. They were in the internet age. He could be talked

about in the members only Yahoogroup for the Garfield High Class of 2006. He sat in

his car, but was powerless to start it. It reminded him of those splashy tabloids that

detail the latest celebrity scandal in Hollywood. Everything was this BIG talk-around-the-

water-cooler faux news to keep your mind off the wars going on until the next bit of

titillating gossip from Tinsel town came pouring out of the press drain. That was the only

shot Josh Nichols had. Unfortunately, they just came off a holiday weekend. He doubted

anything had happened of scandal inducing proportions off-campus that would humiliate

someone else and his little indiscretion of trying to bed Mindy would be forgotten.

Oh to be Drake!

_That boy had no problems._

He didn't tell his Mom Josie (or Audrey for that matter) what he almost did. Josh was

certain that neither Drake nor Megan said anything because he didn't get any parental

verbal lashing.

Didn't everyone realize how terrible he felt? Couldn't Drake have come to him on his

own? Did he really need to be prompted to by Torey to do so? However his brother

could beat the Hell out of him on his own. It's not that Josh didn't feel he didn't deserve

it. He felt that he did. That's why he didn't fight back and he only came into Drake's

room in the first place because he wanted his help.

Drake wasn't at home this morning and his Fiero wasn't in the driveway or the garage.

How was he allowed to get away with staying out all night? Mom Audrey wasn't in the

proper frame of mind, but it always bothered Josh that Drake got away with _everything._

There was no place to go but forward. It took every ounce of courage he had to start the

car and leave for school today. He wanted to go back to Belleview. It was all a blur as to

what happened. It all seemed to have started during the anniversary of Peter Parker's

death and up until now when he tried to have his way with Mindy Crenshaw at

Campland.

Yet the battlefield was littered with what he hoped were not casualties but just temporary

injuries. Between him and Drake not speaking and quite possibly this time for good and

His Mom and Dad separated. It was a complete mess.

Why couldn't he have two mothers?

All Josh Nichols wanted was to be happy. Which might have been understating the

obvious, but it was true.

Josh parked the car and knew he couldn't stay inside for long. Anything that brought

attention to him was only going to make matters worse.

School cliques can make or break you. He wanted to be on the football team and have

a pretty girlfriend cheerleader. Wasn't that the All-American teenage dream?

Garfield High was supposed to be about the reinvention of Josh Nichols from Belleview

High geek to Buff Popular Football Player Stud.

He did what he always did when he started school here and that was to hang by the side

doors on the side of the building and talk to new and exciting people.

Wanting so desperately to be in a clique. Not that he would undermine any other

unpopular chess club, sweater vest wearing, big magnet makers, and Latin club

protégés. He just wanted to be in the "In Crowd" just once. Especially during his senior

year when it was the most important one in high school because the next stop was

college and then the rest of your life until the grave.

High school can make or break you.

Whether it is the fast paced internet age or putting a string through soup cans to play

'telephone' the word on the street was getting out.

No one was talking to him. Did one central popular school 'god' control everyone? Were

people really that easily led? And these were tough jocks, some of which smoked pot

and drank at the keg parties that he would have joined in because what-do-you-know?

Josh could have easily been led himself. But that was different. That was to be IN. No

shoulder taps and no quick knuckle touches were to be found.

Okay, this made sense. Those cheerleaders were probably liberal with their cats.

Except Mindy. She was still a virgin. But her friends went out with these guys so that

would explain why they couldn't talk to him. But it was the clique he wanted to be a part

of. If you pissed one cheerleader or football player off you might as well switch schools.

Drake was _never _ostracized. Yeah a few little tarts didn't like him because he was

dating Torey. Big deal. They really weren't connected to the major school cliques. Just

once Josh wished that Drake could be unpopular so he would know what this day-to-

day-when-will-it-ever-stop? pain felt like.

"You're a creep, Nichols!"

"Go back to Belleview! We don't want you in our school!"

Shouted two unfamiliar voices in the crowd. But he couldn't see who it was. Josh did

however see the points, the snickers, the whispers, and the oh-you-don't-say people.

"You are a CREEPY dogface!" said a little sophomore girl to his face as she ran off in

the opposite direction.

It was either turn around and walk away or to keep moving forward.

Josh opted to keep moving on. To get inside the school he had to go up a small set of

stairs that led to the big gray doors. He had to pass the senior porch as it was called.

He could see Mindy looking nice and pulled together like she always did in her modern

preppy classic clothes. Her light blue sweater set with matching white skirt matched his

black polo shirt and khakis. They would have looked so great together.

Someone threw something at him. It was an empty box of Booboo Bees. Which was

one of Drake's favorite movie candies.

When it was all said and done, it was a fact that Josh really missed his brother. Another

person in the crowd threw a gumdrop at him that got lodged in the back of his hair. He

felt it. It might as well have been a cannonball for that's what the weight of it felt like.

"Mindy, I'm sorry." He whispered when he finally got to the top of the senior porch.

"Did anyone hear anything? I know I sure didn't."

"You're a LOSER and a CREEP, Nichols!" Someone called out from the back, but he

didn't turn around to see who it was. At this point he couldn't even tell if they were male

or female.

He just had to keep walking. Once he got inside the building he pulled the green

gumdrop out of his hair and threw it in the big trashcan by the stairwell. At least for now

the cat calls and object throwing had stopped. Josh found himself in the first floor boy's

lavatory that was thankfully empty. He went inside one of the stalls and noticed that

some jerkwad came in here earlier and wrote in dark streaky black marker

**Stay Away From Josh Nichols! He is a Creep!**

on the light canary yellow tiled walls.

Josh thought while Drake might have known his share of suffering over the loss of his

biological father, he still felt his brother had no idea on what real day-to-day suffering

meant.

Drake had no idea what real _pain_ was.

His brother was a lucky young man after all and it is the lucky sorts of the world who do

not have to suffer in their daily lives. Everything came easy for them and even though he

missed him and wanted him in his life again, Josh couldn't help but hate Drake for his

easy life.

He sat on the toilet, put his hands over his face, and cried until the morning bell.

_Sticks and Stones_

_May Break My Bones_

_But Names Will Never Hurt Me._

Whoever came up with that saying had to be popular because it was a bunch of shit.

The names did hurt. Everything hurt like Hell. Josh Nichols was beginning to wonder if

he'd ever see real happiness in his life?

The morning bell rang and even though no one was in the bathroom he still sat there and

continued to cry wishing that his day-to-day pain would go away.

Drake would never understand because he had no idea on what real pain was.


	20. The Bloom is off the Rose Uncertainty

**Chapter 20 **

**The Bloom is off the Rose (Uncertainty) **

**Morning after the Halloween Dance**

**October 29, 2005**

George Harrison (version 19.66) and Cinderella didn't win any prizes in the costume

contest at Belleview High School's Halloween dance last night. Drake had the

confidence to work a room, whereas Torey was more like Josh-like in that regard

and had to keep from breaking many a time when the Patterson-Crane clique did

their predictable pointing, whispering, and snickering. It was difficult to dance to the

seriously lame Frankie Fuller trio. His guitar playing was awful and his singing even

worse. Drake hated not having an amp with him so he could play the borrowed

cherry red wood Gibson SG standard that was just being used as prop. Drake really

wanted to up the guy. He should have been on that stage. One of the clerks at Guitar

World let Drake borrow it from his own personal collection provided that he bring the

six string back in the condition in which he took it in. It was 10:15 in the morning and

he didn't have to worry about sneaking out of his girlfriend's house. Mrs. Becker

went on a bus trip with her neighbor friend Denise and Mrs. Nichols thought Drake

was sleeping at a friend's house (well that part was true) and was going to work at

Guitar World at noon.

In reality both he and Torey had this particular Saturday off. Drake didn't feel guilty

about requesting the time off, but Torey hated missing work. It was a difference in

their personalities.

Mrs. Becker wouldn't notice if Drake opened up the Chocolate Mocha Swirl coffee?

Unlike his girlfriend and estranged stepbrother Drake never analyzed these types of

things. He just did it. Drake might not have known how to work a stove, but he could

make a mean pot of java.

The doorbell rang and Drake wondered who it could be. He was dressed in his now

wrinkled white button down shirt that was buttoned and his jeans. By the time he

opened the door the postman was at the house next store.

He took the big white envelope out of the mailbox and he would have tossed it on the

kitchen table if it weren't for something he noticed.

_San Diego City College_ was on the return address label.

_Drake Parker C/O Torey Becker_

Drake also noticed the cloth mail holder that was tacked to the wall. It was in the

shape of a corner mailbox. He couldn't help himself as he took out the envelopes.

_Santa Barbara City College-Drake C/O Torey_

_Harold Washington College-(In Chicago!)-Drake C/O Torey_

_Fisher College-(In Boston!)-Drake C/O Torey_

What in the world? Drake didn't know what to make of this. He really wanted to hear

the reasons behind these college catalogues being sent in his name and mailed to

his girlfriend's house. What he didn't want to do was jump to any conclusions. It

could've been something completely harmless. He grabbed two brown coffee cups

with yellow handles out of the cupboard.

"Good morning, Drake," Torey wrapped her arms around him and gave him a kiss

on the neck. "You made coffee. You're so sweet."

"Yeah," he accepted the kiss and kept his mind focusing on pouring, "Torey, I have to

ask you—"

She saw all the envelopes strewn over on the kitchen table.

"I can explain this."

"I knew you could." He handed her a cup.

"I applied at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the University of San Diego,

Loyola College, and Wellesley." She over stirred the sugar in her coffee.

"And?"

"I was going to tell you, Drake. When the time was right."

"Tell me what?"

He was doing his best not get angry. Not with Torey. Not with the young woman he

loved. Not after two break ups. Drake didn't want her to say the words that he knew

were coming.

"I figured _if_ you wanted to go to school that'd there would be some options for you."

That 'if' seemed to be a tacked on after thought. Only mentioned after her plans for

them as a couple were found out.

"Torey, _you know_ I don't want to go to college. You know I don't even like going to

high school." He drank the coffee even though it was too hot.

"I know you don't. But I mean where is your band going?"

"Thanks for that."

"Drake, I didn't mean it that way." She too stayed at her end of the kitchen.

"How exactly did you mean it then?"

"I mean you yourself said the band isn't going to last. I just think you should think

about your future. I mean hobbies are fine but can you make a living from it?"

"Hobby?" He made a clicking sound with his tongue that he burnt on the coffee.

"Not everyone makes it in the music business."

"Torey," he poured his half-full (or was it half-empty?) cup of Chocolate Mocha Swirl

down the sink, "Are you trying to change me?"

"No! I'm just trying to think of your future, Drake. Since you don't seem to."

"Because my music is just a hobby and I need to get an accounting degree and

wear a suit and tie everyday to work. Is that it?"

"Stop twisting my words!"

"For your information I do think about the future."

He had five hundred dollars saved for her engagement ring already and now he felt

like he should take all of that money and buy a new guitar with it instead.

"When? You haven't mentioned anything to me."

"Music doesn't go in a straight line. I don't know what's going to happen or where I'll

be. I do know I won't be in any of those schools. I'm sorry to burst your bubble."

"Drake, you could really do great things if you only---"

_don't say it!_

"applied yourself."

_Damn._

"My Mother said that exact same thing to me when I was thirteen."

"Maybe she should have kept on saying it and there'd be no need for this

conversation."

"Torey—"

Drake was very conscious over his not flying off the handle. Sure they could fight.

Every couple has to right? It doesn't mean they didn't love each other?

He didn't want to say anymore. If they kept this going they might be on the verge of

break up number three.

_He really didn't want that._

Drake didn't even look at Torey when he walked passed her.

"Where are you going?" She asked softly as she put her coffee cup on the table.

"Upstairs."

She didn't know if following him up there would be a clingy thing to do on her part, so

she waited on the living room sofa for the longest three minutes of her life before

going up to her room.

Drake was sitting on her bed tying up the laces on his sneakers. Those replica

Beatle boots that he wore last night hurt his feet.

"I don't want us to fight." Torey said in the doorway.

"I don't want that either." He couldn't bring himself to smile.

The bloom was off the rose and now he was feeling what he _NEVER EVER _wanted

to feel with Torey and that was the feeling of _uncertainty_.

She brought herself closer but didn't touch him. Torey felt that she had to keep a

safe distance because if he backed away from her she would start crying.

"I never said you weren't talented. You know I love your music."

"Yeah." She looked different. Not in terms of her physical looks, but the whole

sneaking around and applying for college applications in his name sent in care of

her at her house was not an attractive view of the woman he wanted to make his wife.

"I thought you said you didn't want us to fight?"

"I don't."

"So how come you aren't talking, Drake?"

"Because I don't know what to say." He took off his white button down shirt and threw

it in his duffle bag and took out a plain dark blue t-shirt to put on.

"Are you leaving?"

They were supposed to spend the whole day together.

He took his car keys out of his pocket and put them on her bookshelf. "Torey, I need

to be alone for awhile. I'll be back."

She resisted the urge to ask him "When?" The fact that he was leaving his clothes

here not to mention his car was proof enough that he was going to return.

She just didn't know when. He could be gone all day just to be stubborn.

"Okay."

Drake didn't kiss her on the cheek or anything. He would have backed away if she

had tried earlier. As soon as she heard him leave out the front door and saw him

walk passed her bedroom window she grabbed her wizard teddy bear, curled

herself up in her bed, and cried.

Did they really have what it took to take their relationship to the after high school

level or were they going to be one of the thousands of couples over the years that

never despite their efforts made it to forever?

Drake didn't go anywhere in particular. He was going to return the 'George Harrison

guitar' on Sunday afternoon when he went to work.

_Work _

Hello! He had a job.

Drake knew Torey was crying. Again, he caused her tears. But she said some hurtful

things. Maybe they weren't intentional but they were hurtful. He knew she was sorry

and she knew that he was a stubborn man.

It was at that moment when he found himself standing in line at the local Golden

Donuts that he wished that Josh were back in his life. On the surface it would have

seemed that Torey and Josh should have been the couple. They liked school, they

wanted to go to college, and wanted to have a quote unquote "career". Torey made

Drake happy.

She was the kind of woman who if you were sick brought you ice cream and

presents, if you didn't eat for most of the day she would make you dinner, and if you

couldn't pick her up she wouldn't complain and would pay for her own taxi. Drake did

love her, but he didn't know if their love was enough to see them past high school.

_He didn't even __know if he should propose._

The ring wasn't even purchased yet.

Maybe this was a sign.

He also wished that Spidey were here. It's not that Drake couldn't or wouldn't go to

Walter; it was just with the separation with Audrey going on, Drake didn't want to

burden him with his problems.

_Torey's a problem?_

_I just thought of my girlfriend as 'a problem'? _

They couldn't break up. Not like this and certainly not in this way.

There was a solution to all this. Well at least a temporary one he thought as he

waited for his turn in the queue.

When Drake arrived back he found Torey sleeping. Her mascara and eyeliner

were smeared. It didn't matter to him, she was still beautiful.

"Hey," he caressed her cheek with his hand, "Torey. Wake up."

"Drake, you're back." She was surprised that only forty-five minutes had lapsed.

"Yeah, I am. I bought doughnuts."

"I'm not really hungry. I must look terrible."

"You could never look terrible."

"I need to wash my face."

"Well, you nee—We both need to eat. So come downstairs."

"Drake---"

"Torey, I was going to tell you this when you came downstairs, but I don't think we

should focus on the future. Neither one of us knows what's going to happen and I don't

_want to fight with you_." He put his hand on her blanket covered knee.

"I think that's some good advice."

It might have been a little bit of the sweeping-it-under-the-collective-carpet variety, but

maybe in this case it was needed.

"I'm glad that you feel that way."

"Hug?" she held out her arms.

"I can do one better."

Drake kissed her on the lips before they shared an embrace.

Thank god that felt the same!

"I love you, Torey. That hasn't changed."

"I love you too, Drake. Did you buy glazed?"

"I might have."

"Did you want to go any place after?"

"I'd rather just stay here with you."

That was all that Torey wanted as well. They were both aware of the fact that their road

together might actually lead to nowhere. They both wanted to enjoy their time together.

It might be over with in the blink of an eye and they didn't want to miss a moment.

He might have felt a tinge of uncertainty over the reality of their long-term future

together; even if that rose never bloomed again Drake Parker was always going to

love Torey Becker no matter what.


	21. Leftovers

**Chapter 21**

**Leftovers**

**Drake's first person POV**

**Thanksgiving 2005**

_I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that this is going to be the last time our _

_whole __family shares a holiday meal together for a very long time. Christmas is a _

_month __away, but I still have that dreaded feeling. Mom invited Wal—Dad to join us. I _

_really __don't get the insides of her head. Audrey and Walter just stalled like an old, _

_beat up __car that gasps for its last breath on a hill until it just stops in the middle of _

_the mid __afternoon traffic. I mean I almost want one of them to call a lawyer at this _

_point. I'll sulk __and brood for a while and get lost in my own guitar world and then I'll _

_accept it._

_Megan isn't even herself. I think the poor kid is worn out. I_ _almost want to get paint _

_poured over me, wrapped in silly string, or mildly electrocuted. I don't want her to _

_lose __her spark. No pun intended._

_Mom is too overly polite and compensating today. She knows this is a charade and _

_she knows everyone here knows it is. I don't want to have a happy holiday. I'm not _

_even hungry for this big meal. I'd rather just go to the pumpkin pie. (With whipped _

_cream)._

_Dad you can tell (or at least I can tell, because I've been in that spot before) wants _

_the __relationship back. But it's all up to Mom who is being so immovable on the _

_subject. I __hate Josh for the rift he caused between our parents.  
_

_I also wish that Spidey could be with us. That's not to say I don't want Dad here. I just _

_wish that Peter could be here._

_Josh. Ick. Yeah, it pains me to think it. But, It's for the best. How he can sit there and _

_eat a turkey leg like he's Henry the fricking Eighth (yeah, I didn't fall asleep in all of _

_my __classes) is beyond me. He's compensating too. Just in a different way. Do I care _

_if he __should go in the bathroom to puke it all up later? Not really. I'm done caring _

_about __him. In my eyes, the only sibling I have is a sister._

_And then there's Torey. I wanted to invite her over for dinner even before my mother _

_suggested it. I look at her and think I'm the luckiest guy in the world, but after what _

_happened the morning after the Halloween dance with her trying to get me into a _

_junior college so I can "apply myself" to some dreary nine to five job because my _

_music is just "a hobby" that I cannot make a living doing is what sometimes keeps _

_me up at night. Because I do love __her very much. _

_I'm still saving money for the ring. _

_I even know the ring I want to buy __her. It's a white gold band with a sapphire heart _

_and two diamond chips in mini heart __shapes on the side. I even know what I want to _

_get engraved inside the band._

_The ring is gorgeous like me on a great hair day._

_But I don't know if I can give her the ring on Christmas like I had planned. I think _

_romance is supposed to be complicated. If that's true then we are experts in our _

_field._

_She stroked my thigh with her hand from under the table and I turn to mush._

_The truth is the idea of our first time scares me too. I don't want to hurt her. I don't _

_want __her to think of the terrible violating things her father did to her when the night _

_comes __for us to be intimate. Of course no average teenage boy likes being a virgin, _

_but I want __my first time to be with Torey. I just hope it won't be our only time._

_I don't know if we are going to make it passed high school. I keep thinking about that _

_Saturday afternoon. Torey had way too many things mapped out for us. Things that _

_she knew I wouldn't be happy with. I know she had my best interests at heart. But it's _

_a __little unsettling. She said she was sorry and I believe that to be the truth. After we _

_ate __our doughnuts and finished the Chocolate Mocha Swirl Coffee we just went back _

_to __her room to make out and cuddle._

_Those are the times that feel right to me._

**Back to third person**

Josh excused himself before the pumpkin pie. He was working at the Premiere and

he didn't want to be late. Drake thought that was bogus. Yeah, the Premiere was

open, but Josh didn't skip dessert because he didn't want to be late for work. He

skipped dessert because he was a jerkwad who couldn't handle life. Drake always

managed to get his holidays off. It must have been his winning smile and charisma

combo. He was going to have to work some on Christmas Eve though. Ralph's was

closed, but Torey did have to work tomorrow morning bright and early, as it was Black

Friday. When every store in America from grocery to mall hoped that their accounting

books would be in the black and not in the red.

"I was surprised that you don't have any gigs lined up for tonight?" She cut through the

pie with her fork.

And Drake knew that Torey did not mean it in the after Halloween dance argument

way, but he still couldn't help but feel uncertain again. He wished that his mind could

accept that as the general question that it was.

"I think we might be doing something during Christmas."

Megan left with her pie plate when she thought no one was looking but Drake saw her

leave.

"And maybe I'll get to see you play. My work schedule never seems to allow it."

"It's all right. Damn," he whispered as he scraped the dollop of whipped cream off his

pie with the side of his fork.

"What is it, Drake?"

"See how everyone just left? Well, Josh I don't care about. But Mom went one way and

Dad went the other. It just sucks."

He pushed his plate away.

Torey held his hand. "I know. Maybe, I should do the dishes for your Mom?"

"You dry. I'll wash."

"Okay." She wouldn't press the issue on why he would rather she dry the dishes than

wash them.

Torey wouldn't mention that the thought of them washing dishes together reminded

her of Leave it to Beaver reruns on TVLand she didn't want Drake to think that she

expected him to get a job and wear his binding suit and tie at home like Ward

Cleaver.

"Where are you going, Dad?" Drake asked Walter who came in the kitchen just as he

and Torey were finishing cleaning up, "I don't think Mom would mind if you stayed."

Torey noticed Drake was strangling the dishtowel he was drying his hands with.

"It's nothing like that, son. I have to do the weather at six o'clock."

_You took a vacation day off for Thanksgiving and Christmas ever since you married _

_Mom._

_I HATE YOU, JOSH!_

"Right."

Walter figured it would embarrass Drake if he hugged him in front of Torey so he just

gave him the shoulder squeeze.

"I'll see you later. Bye, Torey."

"Bye, Mr. Nichols."

She watched Drake release the towel from his hand land on the countertop. The

veins in his right hand were throbbing and not in the cool sense of being in the middle

of an awesome guitar solo but from a frustration that he didn't quite know how to

ease.

"Torey, can you grab one of those plastic containers in the cupboard where Mom

keeps the serving bowls?"

"Sure. Why?"

"Because for one fucking moment I want this holiday to be happy." Drake replied

softly.

He walked over to his girlfriend to kiss her on the cheek and to get a hug, but Torey

had a twisting feeling inside her that ever since the morning after the Halloween

dance she wasn't the be all/end all salve that soothed Drake's soul that she used to

be.

"It'll be okay, Drake," She gave him another kiss on the cheek before she got the

container that he wanted, "What are you going to put in here?"

"Leftovers." Even if he did have to take everything out of the refrigerator that he

recently put in. It was still something that he felt that he had to do since his mother

didn't bother and you really think that she would have.

_Someone had to care about this family._

Chuck O'Hearly was the sixty-seven year old security guard at KDJY. He was

surprised to see Walter Nichols' _stepson_ and his pretty young girlfriend come to the

desk.

"How are you, Drake?"

"Fine." Drake showed the contents of the paper bag he was carrying before he could

ask him to open it.

What was he going to do tell his life story to the security guard?

"Would you please open your purse, Miss?"

Another example of the post 9/11 world.

"Sure."

Chuck handed each of them a blue visitor sticker to put on their shirts.

"I think you are the best." Torey said when they got the elevator.

"Thanks." He pressed number four once they got inside.

"I'm afraid you can't see your dad. The news team was called in for an impromptu

meeting." The receptionist said in an I-wish-you-kids-would-go-away-you're-keeping-

me-from-my-paperback-reading-tone.

"That's fine. May I have a piece of paper and some tape?"

"Sure." The receptionist coldly put the items in front of him and Drake was too

stubborn to say 'thank you'.

Torey handed Drake one of her scented pens. It was cherry.

_Dad,_

_You can't have a Thanksgiving without leftovers._

_Drake_

Drake took the container out of the bag and taped the note to it before putting it back

inside.

"Make sure Walter Nichols gets this."

"I will."

Torey held Drake's hand in the elevator. It was ice-cold.

"You know what I always wanted to do?"

She had to do it quickly since they were on the fourth floor.

"What?"

She pressed the red stop button. That got a smile on Drake's face.

"Well?" Torey asked

"You want to kiss in an elevator?"

"Yeah," she put her arms around Drake's waist, "Do you mind?"

"Mind? No. I think that's a good idea."

"But what about the security guards in the room with all of the monitors?"

"Well they're about to see a young couple kiss," Drake's eyes scanned for the mini

camera that was on the top of the ceiling as he proceeded to give a wave, "We'll

show you guys how it's done."

Two happy moments were better than nothing Drake thought as he and Torey had a

five-minute kiss-fest in the stopped elevator. He did think of going inside the back of

her pumpkin colored v-neck sweater but he didn't want to give the guards that show.

"Drake," Torey rested her head on his shoulder, "Do you feel better?"

"Yeah, I do."

He felt a vibration and almost forgot he had his cell phone clipped to his jeans.

It was a text message from Walter:

_Thanks, Drake_

_Love, Dad_

"Are you ready to go now?"

"Yeah."

She pressed the stop button again to restart the elevator.

"Now where to?" Torey asked when they got back to the car.

"Your house, so we can stop and go some more."

"It looks like you got your second wind, Drake."

Still attached to his seatbelt he moved in to kiss his girlfriend on the lips.

"You know it, babe."

And when he got to the Becker sofa grateful for the fact that Torey's Mom had work of

her own, he was going to put his hands in the back of her soft sweater. They might

never get to forever and the idea of proposing scared him to death ever since their

fight the morning after the Halloween dance.

But one thing was for certain they had right now.


	22. The Present

**Chapter 22**

**The Present**

**Christmas Eve 2005**

It was eleven o'clock on the dot when Drake finished his shift at Guitar World. It wasn't

because he had a winning smile. It was because Audrey embarrassed him by calling up

his boss last week and stating that her son would be attending midnight mass with the

family at church. His belief in 'a God' might have been zilch, but he usually did enjoy

attending the Christmas Eve services. No matter how clichéd the movies and songs

were about it, it really was a magical time. A time when people were uncharacteristically

nice to each other as an inner warmness filled the air like being in a living Norman

Rockwell painting. But he didn't feel like going this year. He buttoned up his jean jacket

under the awning then doing his best to escape the raindrops before he got to his car.

Normally he would check his hair (naturally) and turn on the radio, but he just needed to

sit for a moment. He opened the glove compartment and took out the gray velvet box.

Drake put it in the top pocket of his jacket. He had to go home to change his clothes

before he picked up Torey. He invited her to midnight mass and she said it would be all

right as her and Mom usually didn't exchange meaningless gifts until five in the morning.

Drake didn't know if he could go through with proposing tonight. He wasn't sure if he

even wanted to be with his girlfriend tonight. At face value it sounded like a callous

thought, but it wasn't. He didn't know how he could face the woman that he loved if he

couldn't go through with proposing.

Drake put the key in the ignition and headed towards home.

Josh used a vacation day that he had coming and didn't have to work at the Premiere

on Christmas Eve, but Helen was making him work Christmas day because the re-

release of The Empress Strikes Back was going to be a huge money-maker for the

theater and she needed all of her staff present. Josh was quite angry that Drake thought

everything was naturally and predictably all about him.

Didn't Drake even think that of course Josh wanted Walter back at home where he

should be? He was going to join the family for midnight mass and Christmas dinner _for _

_the sake of the kids_, but it was not the same. Josh didn't mention to anyone that he sent

his Mom Josie a pair of small pearl earrings from Rutherford's. He even purchased a

PO Box so the letters wouldn't be sent to the house to disturb Mom Audrey—or Drake.

Josh sat alone in the living room chair looking at the deceptive Christmas tree. The

lights were all blue green. There was something soothing about that color. The tree

topper was not a star but an angel. Audrey liked a uniform tree like the kind you see in

those big architectural magazines. This year's theme was golden bows. For one brief

moment of holiday happiness Josh was able to see Megan and Mom Audrey decorate

the tree before he went to work tonight. It did look rather nice. The stockings were hung

by the fireplace the traditional red with white tops. Their names were all written on them

in red and green glitter.

_Dad, Mom, Megan, Drake, and Josh._

Peter's stocking (also said Dad) was in the bottom of Drake's dresser drawer. Drake

didn't think that Josh knew that, but he knew lots of things.

Josh flicked the table chimes with his finger with the spinning angels as Drake came

through the front door. He wasn't going to say hello and Josh couldn't be bothered. How

he could ignore him so well proved to Josh that maybe Drake didn't really care about

him in the first place. Sure he saved his life a few months ago, but _he had to do so. _

Apart from the pearl earrings to his birth mother the only other gifts Josh had to give

were to Audrey, Walter, and Megan. He did buy Helen a Happy Times plastic cup that

came from a fast food restaurant off Ebay, but other than that there were no more

presents. Nothing for Mindy since she wanted nothing to do with him since Campland

turned him a promising school stud to a Creepy Loser people had to stay away from

and nothing for Drake. Josh would have purchased a present for Torey, but it just would

have been too uncomfortable especially if his brother was around. Did Drake even

know that she liked Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poetry?

He doubted it.

"Merry Christmas, Drake." Josh said in a comfortable bravado tone when he knew

Drake was upstairs and out of earshot.

He wasn't the Creepy Loser. His brother was. Josh had to get ready for midnight mass

but he made sure that Drake was in his own room before he went upstairs.

This was the worst holiday ever. Next year would be different.

Next year he wouldn't be a minor and forced to be here. He discussed his future plans

with Mom Josie and they did not include anyone here except for some brief one-way

discussions with his Dad.

_Then he'd be out of San Diego and this family forever._

Drake stood in front of the mirror as he buttoned his cobalt blue color shirt with the swirly

white stripes and black trousers. His stomach was churning. He hadn't eaten anything

since half a slice of cold pizza during his break at Guitar World. He knew he had to

leave and be out of here before his parents realized that he wasn't going to midnight

mass. He grabbed his black blazer out of the closet.

The engagement ring was still in the pocket of his jean jacket. He hesitated for what felt

like the longest minute before putting the box in the inside pocket of his

suit jacket.

He opened up his acoustic guitar case to take out a box he had hidden in there for

safekeeping.

When he and Torey were making out on her sofa on Thanksgiving night and he inquired

what her fragrance was. Of course, she could've just said Lava soap and it would have

still turned him on. It was a hard to find bottle of Bob Mackie's discontinued Perhaps

perfume. It was the one of the few things that Mrs. Becker let her daughter use of hers

and like the aqua silk scarf he put under the family tree he knew while the thought was

there these really were decoy gifts. Well the scarf was for when the family came back

from midnight mass the Nichols-Parker tradition was to open one present before going

to bed and he wanted Torey to be included in the family custom.

The engagement ring was Drake's _real_ gift to Torey, but he didn't know if he could go

through with presenting it to her. He knew how Spidey proposed to Audrey. His mom

always used to like telling this story around Valentine's Day, but sometimes his dad

would tell him and in great detail.

**Flashback-1991 **

Peter Parker stood in the doorway of the master bedroom smiling watching his five year

old son put on one of his button down shirts. He did choose a snazzy mint green.

"I caught you, Drake!" Peter scooped up his son. "Do you want to go with Daddy for a

ride?"

"Where?"

"The jewelry store. I have to pick up your Mom's Valentine's Day present. If I don't, I'll be

sleeping on the sofa tonight."

"Why, Daddy?"

"Because a man who forgets Valentine's Day, a birthday, Christmas, or heck even

arbor day will wind up sleeping on the sofa because he forgot to buy his wife a present.

Girls like presents."

"I like girls."

"I know you do. After the jewelry store would you like to get some ice cream?"

"Yeah! A banana split."

"That sounds like a plan."

Peter didn't bother to take his shirt off his son. He wanted to keep him in the land of

make believe and happiness forever. Youth was fleeting. He wanted his son and baby

daughter to have carefree childhoods. Audrey, bless her, wanted the kids to have (and

him at times) much unnecessary structure. Life didn't have to be what you penciled in,

it's what you did outside of the lines that shaped your personality and where you got

your true character from.

**Flashback Interrupted**

"Drake!"

"You scared me, Megan."

"Cool."

"What did you want?"

"Are you ready?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm going to pick up Torey."

"I know. We're _all _going to midnight mass." Like her brother, Megan's belief in a God

was non-existent, but she also liked the ceremony.

"I'm not going," Drake, said as he buttoned his blazer, "I need you to cover for me."

"I've been doing a lot of that lately."

"Please. Torey and I are going to exchange presents."

"Uh—All right. Well you better leave right now. I'll stall Mom and Dad so they don't see

you leave."

"Thanks, Megan," he tapped her on the head, "You're the best."

"Whatever."

Megan left the room so she could lie to her parents. Drake didn't even bother to ask if

Walter and Audrey looked ready to reconcile. They didn't. It's been how many months

now? And a 'sudden' making up like this was a Hollywood cliché. A happy ending on

Christmas Day. Real life didn't quite work like that.

Drake took the box of perfume that he had wrapped in snowman wrapping paper with a

tiny red bow on it and put it in his outside jacket pocket. When he spotted Megan in the

kitchen pretending to need help buckling her pink formal Mary Janes from Dad and

Audrey tying her also pink hair ribbon was when Drake was able to make his clean

getaway.

Torey got a key made for Drake but she made him promise on his guitars that he only

use it when her mother was not home. He sat on the living room sofa nervously

munching on the leftover pretzels in a bowl that were left out from the last time he was

here.

"I'm ready, Drake." He stood up.

Torey came down the stairs in a dark bubblegum pink v-neck sweater and a black

pleated velvet skirt she wore pink flats with tiny rosebuds in the center. She couldn't

stand walking in high heels.

"Wow. You look beautiful," Drake kissed her on the lips.

"Thank you. You look very handsome yourself," She looked at her watch, "We're running

late."

"About that. I'm really not in the mood for going to church today. Would it be all right if we

just went back to my house?"

"Sure, Drake."

For a guy that tried to fool most of the world that he was the smooth, happy-go-lucky, in

control sort his girlfriend noticed immediately on how conflicted his inner self was.

Torey held Drake's hand as they walked out of her house.

Drake was a coward and he knew it. The ring felt like it weighed one million tons and

that was a conservative estimate. They made out a little, but when it came time to

exchange presents. He just couldn't go through with what his heart was telling him to do.

"Thanks for the box of guitar picks." Drake kissed Torey on the cheek.

"Your real present is coming tomorrow by Priority Mail. I'm sorry it didn't come today."

"No worries. You didn't have to special order me anything."

"I wanted to. Those yellow picks glow in the dark. And the blue one is—"

"Is from the Devon Malone signature series. I love it. Thanks. This is for you."

He handed her the box with the snowman wrapping paper and red bow.

"Did you pick out the wrapping paper by yourself?"

Why did girls like wrapping paper and bows? She stuck it to his suit jacket.

"I might have."

"Oh my God, Drake! You found my perfume!" She wrapped her arms around and kissed

him on the lips.

If she were this excited over a discontinued fragrance (even if it was her favorite) then

how would she react to the proposal?

"I'm glad that you like it, Torey."

"Like it, I love it." She opened up the box to take out the bottle.

"I'm going to get my guitar. I'll be back."

"Okay." That would give her time to put the perfume on all of her pulse points.

When Drake got to his room he moved slowly. He took the ring box out of his inside

jacket pocket and felt the world's biggest boulder was removed.

"Spidey, what do I do?" Drake said to the air.

He put the ring in the little box in his acoustic guitar case that held some of his picks and

emergency orange flavored tic-tacs and locked it even though he never locked his guitar

cases when they were in the safety of his own room.

After he took the bow off and placed it on the corner of his mirror. Drake took off his

blazer and put it over his desk chair.

He was about to unbutton the top two buttons of his formal shirt and thought that maybe

his girlfriend might enjoy the task more.

"I'm sorry I took so long."

She noticed that he didn't bring down his guitar.

"That's okay." Torey stood up to walk towards him.

"You smell nice." Drake held her hands.

"Thanks." He softly kissed her on the neck.

"I'm thirsty, would you like anything?"

"Soda's fine."

The least Drake could do was pour the Mocha Cola into Mom's special Galway crystal

champagne flutes.

What kind of man was he if he couldn't even propose to the woman he loved?

"How long until everyone comes back?" Torey asked as Drake handed her a flute.

"Around one thirty."

They sat on the sofa as Drake purposely but in soft motion knocked over the Santa

Claus pop-up coffee table decoration before putting his glass down on the marble

coaster. It belonged to Josh therefore he didn't want to see it.

"What to do?" She too put her glass on a coaster as she snuggled next to her boyfriend.

"We could make out."

"Hmm, I never would have thought of that, Drake."

Torey kissed him full on the lips as she unbuttoned the top three buttons on his shirt. She

loved when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in closer.

"Break it up!"

"Megan! What are you doing home already?"

Torey quickly straightened her sweater and her posture.

"Mom had an emergency cell phone call. She had to go to the office."

_On Christmas Day?_

"Where's Dad?"

"Parking the car. He said he'd stay. Mom only has to fax some papers and then she'll be

back."

"Faxing papers on Christmas Day?" Drake let the thought come out of his mouth

"Hi guys, your Mother will be here shortly." Walter came in.

He knew this was whole ordeal was difficult for all of the kids. Walter was quite angry

that Audrey could value work more over spending time with the family. Even if their

marriage was questionable Drake was right you don't leave in the middle of a church

service to fax papers on Christmas Day.

Josh trailed behind wanting to hide up in his room and not even be present. Drake

wasn't the only one who could feel angst ridden.

"Hi, Josh." Torey said

"Hey."

"Merry Christmas." Drake whispered in Torey's ear as he rested his head on her

shoulder.

Torey held his hand. "Merry Christmas." She whispered back.

It was anything but merry.

Megan opened her present like a toddler forced to eat their suppertime broccoli. It was

the new universal remote control that she needed. The card said from Josh.

"That is the one you wanted?" Josh asked

"Yeah. I'm going to my room to test it."

The tension was so thick that you needed a hacksaw to cut through it let alone a basic

kitchen knife. Drake did go upstairs earlier to get the engagement ring box out of his

locked guitar case and he put it in his side trouser pocket.

"Your turn." Drake handed Torey the purple wrapped box with a pink ribbon style that

went around the box in an "L" shape and formed a bow in the center.

"The box is pretty."

"Why do girls like wrapping paper and bows?" Drake asked

"Why do boys like to jump up and hit awnings?" Torey asked back

That made Walter and Audrey laugh slightly, but he was sitting on a chair and she on the

sofa so it hardly counted as a joint laugh.

Josh sat in the corner on the floor playing with his new lime green colored yo-yo.

"Are you going to save that bow?"

"I might," she was very careful to open the box. "Drake, this is beautiful."

She kept her kiss short and sweet with everyone watching them.

"I'm glad that you like it."

"Yeah, I do. I can put it on my winter coat."

_Winter coat?_

Sure it could be cool—chill in San Diego, California, but it was the way that she

emphasized the words 'winter coat'.

_She chose one of those East coast colleges and didn't bother to tell him._

Drake stood up. "We better leave. You have to exchange presents with your mom when

she comes home."

Torey was confused that Drake wanted to leave early as soon as she opened her

'family gift'. She put her perfume and scarf box in a small black bag. She said her polite

goodbyes to Walter and Audrey completely forgetting about Josh who was still sitting in

the corner walking the dog.

"Drake, did I say something wrong?" She stood in front of him on the front porch.

There was a light glistening rain falling from the sky, as the air was hushed. It looked like

a scene out of an old Hollywood movie with all of the street lamps and lights on houses

and outside trees for the overnight view.

"I don't know, Torey. You tell me what you meant by 'winter coat'. But before you do I bet

you chose your college already. When were you going to tell me you wanted to go to

school on the other coast?"

"You are making it sound like I kept it from you. You saw all of my school catalogues if

you remember."

"But you didn't know where you wanted to go. Now you need a big winter coat."

"I did not say the word 'big' and I thought you wanted to go to New York City."

"When we were broken up the second time. I don't know where my future will be."

"What does this have to do with me going to school, Drake? I can't believe you want to

fight on Christmas Day."

She sat on the porch.

"I don't want to fight, Torey. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I don't know which school I want to go to. I'm not keeping a damn thing from

you. I can't believe you would think that."

"You kept the location from me. If you prefer to go to school on the East coast then just

say so."

"I knew this would happen. Our relationship has had more heartaches than happiness

and you know it too. You're probably only with me because you feel guilty over what my

Dad did to me."

"That's NOT true. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I don't think I should have dinner at your house today. I don't think we should

be together anymore. Cut the string, Drake. Let me go. Go back to your empty headed

bimbos."

She stood up and walked off the porch.

"NO!" He ran ahead of her.

"Who are we fooling? We're just stupid kids." She let one tear fall down her cheek.

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Drake. But sometimes we have to face reality."

Drake found his nerve at the thought of Torey walking out of his life as he got down on

one knee feeling the dampness from the rain on his knee but he didn't care. Drake took

the ring box out of his pocket, "The reality is this. We love each other and I hope that you

will say yes to my question," He nervously displayed the ring, "Torey Becker will you

marry me?"


	23. Nothing is Real

**Chapter 23**

**Nothing is Real**

**Christmas Day 2005**

**Same night**

The answer to the question was pending in the light misty air during the one fifteen

o'clock in the morning hour of a nice middle class neighborhood in San Diego,

California. Torey Becker could not believe her ears. Not five minutes ago she was the

one this time who was going to end the relationship and here Drake was like the scene

out of some two-hankie romantic tearjerker on bended knee, proposing marriage, and

presenting her with the prettiest ring she ever saw in her entire young life. A sapphire

heart and two mini diamond mini heart chips on each side of the white gold banded

ring. It may not have been the most expensive piece of jewelry ever made, but it was the

most beautiful piece of jewelry that she had ever seen. They were slightly covered in a

light film of raindrops. Still weren't they just in her words two stupid kids in love? This

was the big league. They couldn't afford any more relationship landmines not if they

were going to get married. Maybe every couple had a harmless tiff now and again, but

weren't true couples supposed to be above it all? Maybe that wasn't the most human

way to look at it, but it's what all the teenage magazines reported about issues of the

heart alongside of articles of eating disorders and how to look like your favorite celebrity

who ironically had the eating disorder the magazine warned you about.

"Drake, I," She knew the tears were going to start to flow once she opened up her

mouth, "Yes!"

She breathed a sigh of relief. Drake smiled as he put the ring on her finger.

Torey wrapped around her arms around Drake tight. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

They kissed each other forgetting that they were outside.

"I'm sorry about how I acted before." Drake said as they held hands.

He loved how the ring looked on his fiancées finger.

_Fiancée._

Before Torey came into his life Drake never gave marriage much thought. He always

assumed if he wasn't married by forty he was going to be one of those life long

bachelors who try to convince themselves that scoring was more important than having

a meaningful relationship.

"It's okay."

She loved how engagement ring looked on her finger.

"No, it's not. I never should have looked for a hidden meaning to you wanting a winter

coat. I was just extremely nervous about proposing."

"It's okay, Drake, really. This explains your up and down moods."

"Now I have to be a bastard and tell you, you can't wear your ring all the time."

"You aren't. I know I can't. Between my Mom and your parents we'd be lectured to

death."

Drake put his hands on Torey's shoulders. "Speaking of your Mom, she won't be home

for a few hours right?"

Torey smiled, "As always, you read my mind."

To think Drake was this close on not proposing tonight and taking Torey home earlier

than planned because he had a bee in his bonnet over her leaving for college without

him.

He kissed her on the tip of her nose. "Merry Christmas, baby."

Torey was jubilant to see Drake smile. To think she was going to close her diary with

heartbroken rant now she would be able to end her life script on a positive note that

someday she was going to be Mrs. Torey Becker-Parker.

"Merry Christmas, Drake."

Torey rested her head on Drake's shoulder on the whole while it took him to drive them

back to her house.

_Mrs. Parker_

She really loved the sound of that.

**Flashback Restored-1991**

Peter sat five-year-old Drake down on the counter in the jewelry store in the mall.

"What should I buy Mommy for Valentine's Day?"

Drake pointed instantly to a necklace under the glass. "That!"

"Your son has very good taste." The blonde saleswoman came over to help the man with

his purchase.

"How much is it?"

"Three thousand."

"Yes, my boy does have good taste. Unfortunately I need to see something else."

"Did you know what you were looking for?"

"Not a clue."

"How old is your shopping buddy?"

"I'm this many." Drake held up his hand.

"If it's all right with your Daddy, I'll let you have a lollipop?"

"Sure."

The saleswoman handed Drake a root beer flavored Dum Dum pop.

"Thank you. You're pretty. Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Drake! The things you say!" Peter laughed. Audrey would have had a 'fit' over that

remark.

"It's alright, sir. Your son is a cutie. Let me show you a catalogue."

"I just want it to be special. Like the day I proposed," Peter supposed he was telling this

more for Drake's benefit than the saleswoman's, "I should say night. We were having an

argument over something that I can't even remember and I was taking her home when I

got a flat tire—and I remember it was pouring rain outside. I kept the ring in my pocket

for MONTHS because I was terrified of proposing. We were outside arguing in the

downpour while we waited for Triple A to come by with a tow truck was when I just

decided to pop the question. I took her by surprise, she said yes, and here we are

happy and two beautiful kids later. Even if we did catch the flu." Peter kissed

Drake's cheek as he took the bare white lollipop stick and threw it in the trash basket

that was on the floor next to him.

"That's a nice story." The clerk replied

"Thanks. I have an idea, son. Your Mom likes that old heart ring from years ago. Let's

get her a sapphire heart ring. I wish I could get her the biggest and the best, but alas I'm

not a rich man."

This young man and his son were so cute that the saleswoman had a tear in her eye.

"I would say you are rich, sir, in a way more important than financial status."

"I always say that family is the most important thing."

_The most important thing…_

_The most important thing…_

_The most important thing…_

**Flashback Interrupted (again)**

"Drake, Drake," Torey hated waking him up. He looked so tranquil sleeping in her bed.

"Drake…"

She kissed him ever so lightly on the lips.

"Hi," he rubbed his eyes, "I didn't mean to doze off."

"It's okay." She climbed back in the bed, "Mom will be coming home soon."

"Just think," he sat up against her pillows and put his arm around his gir—fiancée!

"Someday we'll be able to stay in bed all day and all night if we want to."

"I know," She kissed his cheek, "We can still cuddle for a little while longer. If you want

to?"

"You never have to ask, Torey."

It was a shame that Drake never noticed the parallels.

**12:15 PM**

Everybody loved Christmas Day priority mail except for the postal workers that had to

deliver the packages on this supposed day off because people couldn't shop on time.

They had families they wanted to be with too. Audrey gave the mail carrier a money

envelope with a certificate for a free set of movie tickets from the Premiere. She'd have

given money, but she never knew if tipping federal works was illegal or not.

"Drake!" Audrey called out, "Come downstairs!"

Josh was sitting in the chair pretending to be watching the football pre-game show with

Walter.

"What is it?"

"This big box is for you!"

Megan came from the kitchen wondering what all the excitement was about.

The return address just said Los Angeles, California.

"I'll get the box cutter." Walter said as he got up from the sofa, as Josh became more

internally angst ridden over the whole situation.

Drake gets a present and the whole world has to frigging stop?

Walter helped him open the box. Yes, Drake was quite capable to have opened the box

himself, but he was glad have a bonding moment considering the circumstances of the

state of their family unit.

"F--," Drake stopped when he remembered his parents were in the room, "Awesome!"

It was a metallic red Jackson Open Box JS1 electric guitar.

He picked up the invoice with all of the pricing information omitted, but he didn't need to

see it. He knew exactly what the list price was.

_Merry Christmas, Drake_

_May you continue to make beautiful music._

_Love Always,_

_Torey._

"That's a beautiful guitar." Audrey said

"Yeah it is and so is the woman that bought it for me." Drake blushed and wasn't

ashamed to admit this in front of his family. He would have preferred if Josh was in

China, but you cannot win them all. Thankfully, he'd be leaving for the Premiere after

dinner and Drake wouldn't have to look at him for the rest of the day and for most of the

night. It was a shame, but he had Torey and she was all that he needed.

**12:45 AM**

Christmas went much better for the Nichols-Parker family than the Thanksgiving holiday

went. Audrey and Walter were civil with each other, but the bottom line was that he

wasn't sleeping at his home. Drake's mind replayed the day's events racing upstairs to

his room to phone Torey and play his new favorite guitar before going to her house to

pick her up. She thought it would be bad luck to have to keep on taking off her

engagement ring so that her mother and his parents wouldn't know, but he assured her

that was just superstition. He had to work tomorrow but only for half a shift, because his

band was playing the second date of their Christmas concerts at the local mall the last

date was on December 30th and Drake's conscious thought stopped as he fell asleep.

**Drake's Dream:**

Drake was in a particularly good mood as he jumped out of bed. He didn't even mind

that Megan was sitting on the sofa watching the TV in his bedroom.

"Is your TV broken again?" He asked

"No," Megan turned the TV off with the remote control and stood up, "But your arm will

be."

"What are you talking about?" He went to check his reflection in the mirror.

_Looking good_

"You don't know. That's good Drake."

"You are speaking gibberish, Megan. Now if you don't mind I'm going to go downstairs

and eat breakfast before I pick up Torey."

Megan walked towards Drake and laughed, "You silly boy. Torey's long gone."

"What?"

"I wonder what happened to your ID bracelet?"

Drake looked at his left arm and realized it was missing from his wrist.

"It's probably in my bed." Drake went back to his bed to look for the bracelet to see if it

fell off while he was sleeping.

"It's not there. Que Sera, Sera. Whatever will be, will be."

Megan left the room.

"I'm so glad for this day!" Josh burst in he was wearing the black Premiere vest. The

one only seen in dreams of dead Helen's funeral.

"Josh?"

"Finally, Drake Parker gets his real comeuppance. It's been a long time coming brotha.

Maybe, I'll see you have a nervous breakdown on Oprah!"

"What are you talking about?" but before Drake could catch up with him Josh

disappeared.

"Where's Torey?"

"Oh, you won't be seeing her for awhile, son." Audrey said as she walked up the stairs

with a laundry basket full of perfectly clean soft white fluffy towels.

Drake ran downstairs to the living room to answer the phone that started ringing.

"I'm sorry, Drake."

"Dad?" As in Walter Nichols

"I have to go now. I'll talk to you later."

This was all too confusing for the young man as he opened the swinging door to the

kitchen and saw his birth father Peter James Parker sitting at the table drinking his

usual coffee which consisted of two creams and one sugar.

"Dad? What's going on? Why is everyone acting so weird and where is Torey?"

"You're dreaming, Drake."

"I am?"

"You won't remember any of this when you wake up. You are much too young. Save you I

cannot."

"Why are you talking like Yoda?"

"I don't know. It's your dream."

"Where's Torey?"

"The question is where were you when you lost your bracelet?"

"Is she all right?"

"Too young. Why are you in a rush? Now all the goodness is going to be wiped away for

a very long time. I'm very disappointed in you, Drake."

"Dad! I didn't do anything."

"Yet."

"I love Torey very much. I would never hurt her."

"I didn't raise you to be judgmental."

"Dad! Listen to me. I proposed to her on Christmas Day. We're going to get married."

"Oh, you think it's that easy? The lesson you are about to learn. And yet how unfortunate

that you won't be able to recall any of this dream."

Peter disappeared in a ripple effect.

He was water.

"Dad!"

Drake got on his knees trying to make the puddle come back to life.

"Where's Torey?"

The tears were streaming down his cheeks now as he stood up to dial her number on

the kitchen phone.

"_The number you have reached has been disconnected."_

Then he tried her cell phone.

"_The number you have reached has been disconnected."_

No further information is available.

**End Dream**

Drake woke up at two in the morning feeling empty. He knew something was wrong, but

he didn't quite know what. Or maybe it was just the extra turkey sandwich he ate before

bed that hurt his stomach. Did he have a bad dream? He couldn't remember anything if

he did. The last thing he thought about was his bands Christmas concerts at the mall.

Nothing could be wrong. He and Torey were engaged to be married that was a

wonderful thing. Drake put his headphones on and turned on the radio. His Mom must

have used his Walkman again because she left her easy listening station on.

"You are listening to Overnights with Ken on KJQY 94.1. Here is a classic from Doris

Day from the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock movie The Man Who Knew Too Much.

_Que Sera, Sera._"

_Whatever will be, Will be._


	24. Draw Back Your Bow

**Chapter 24**

**Draw Back Your Bow**

**February 14, 2006**

**Tuesday afternoon**

Josh hated Valentine's Day. The prospect of facing all of Garfield High and their stupid

Candygram tradition made him get a rash on his stomach and inner thigh. He didn't

have to worry about anyone seeing his condition. On gym days he'd wear his outer

shorts and t-shirt over his regular clothes so he wouldn't have to change in front of the

jocks, a group of which he could never be a part of now. He supposed he could've sent

one grape Charms lollipop to himself. But _they_ would have known. Especially since all

of the popular kids were on the Candygram committee and those that weren't would just

spread the news faster around the school than an arsonist setting a wildfire. Both he

and Harold 'nose picker' Zuckerman would be the only ones in the whole school

including the Freshmen to get zero—ZERO tokens of teenage love, lust, and/or

friendship. Take your pick they were just pieces of paper attached to lollipops that in the

bigger worldview really didn't matter. This kind of perplexing 'Oh my God, they don't like

me. I must fix it!' thought only carried sleepless nights while you were in high school.

When you get older you could really give a rat's ass regarding who likes and you who

doesn't. During a person's school years it could make or break your world and Josh

Nichols' world was broken when he tried to _take_ Mindy Crenshaw at Campland last

year. He had to live with what his life was. Josh was lonely. He didn't relate with his

father much now that he was growing up, his relationship with Audrey was really just on

polite terms but gone were the days when they could quote movies and spend quality

time with each other. She was stubborn (wonder where Drake gets it from?) over his

wanting to spend time with his biological Mother and he doubted that they would ever

fully recover. Megan didn't really take the time to play pranks on him anymore. _She was _

_always going_ _to side with her real brother_. Which lead his thoughts to Drake. He missed

him and at the same time loathed him. They were better off apart. Josh could just picture

the goings-on at Belleview which made him write 'I hate Drake' on the inside of his

black and white composition notebook in dark blue ink when he was supposed to be

writing science notes. He heard some breakfast table mumblings today over His

Drakeness buying Torey some fancy chocolates in a heart shaped box. Goody goody

gumdrops.

_Josh believed that Drake didn't deserve to be happy._

Mindy was quite popular with the basketball star Seth Greenwood. Even though he was

6'2", Josh still thought he could take him. He had the new habit of crossing the days off

in his pocket sized calendar with a big red inked 'X" as each day passed.

Josh Nichols although he'd never directly or otherwise commit suicide ever again, it

didn't stop his thought process from wishing that he were dead.

Drake sat on the ground level stairwell on the gray stairs waiting for Torey's Honor

Society meeting to be over with. He was reading one of his guitar magazines wishing

he could be one of the people interviewed or better yet one of the ads that would feature

him proudly holding the Drake Parker Custom Guitar. Things were going along

smoothly. Torey wore her engagement ring to school. If Torey had made a big deal

about having to take the ring on and off in front of others the school skank club or some

other nosy busybody including a teacher could tell their parents. This made it seem like

it was all in the open.

"Hey, handsome, what are you reading?"

Drake closed the magazine on his lap and looked up at Torey with sparkling eyes.

"Guitar Player. Close your eyes."

"Drake…"

"Ssh," he led her to the stairwell so that she could sit next to him. "I got you a little

something."

He handed her a small red heart shaped box.

"Chocolates….and the box is open." Torey laughed

"I had to have one caramel." He pretended to pout for opening her present knowing full

well Torey would find it cute.

"Thank you, Drake," she kissed him on the lips, "This was sweet of you. The pun was

intended."

"No problem, babe. I also got you this," He took a square shaped object that was

wrapped in pastel pink colored wrapping paper, "Happy Valentine's Day."

"You shouldn't have." She almost didn't want to touch the perfectly wrapped present.

"I wanted to."

The book was pink and white and matched the tones of the wrapping paper. Torey felt a

lump in her throat, as she was always a sucker for the sentimental.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning: Selected Poems. 

"Drake, you don't know how much…I," She wrapped her arms around him and pulled

him towards her as close as they could be for sitting on a stairwell at Belleview High.

"I bet you didn't think I noticed. But I notice lots of things." He kissed her on the neck. He

could smell her Perhaps perfume. Torey wore it everyday and it drove Drake wild

everyday.

"I love you, Mr. Parker."

He raised her left hand, "And I love you the future Mrs. Parker. How did your meeting

go?"

"It was boring. I just wanted to be with you," She looked at her watch, "I guess we better

go. I have to start work in a half hour."

"Me too. But don't eat too much on your break because you have another surprise

coming up."

This was the first time in his life that Drake ever made formal dinner reservations. Well

when he was three he did help Peter on the phone plan for his parent's anniversary

dinner.

Torey did put a garment bag in his car so she could make a quick change at work when

Drake picked her up. She knew they were going out to eat, but he wouldn't say where

just that they needed to dress up for the occasion.

They had eight o'clock reservations at Calienti a nice Mexican restaurant in the city.

If they were moving too fast only one of them was aware of it. Just like that driver in a

speeding car on the Pacific Highway that is racing off the charts to nowhere only to wind

up in dead in their very own twisted metal creation.

Moving slow was not in Drake Parker's vocabulary but there was going to be a time in

the not so distant future that he was going to wish with all of his might that he had taken

the slow road to bliss instead of the fast track to derailment.

The Soul's Expression

By Elizabeth Barret Browning

_With stammering lips and insufficient sound  
_

_I strive and struggle to deliver right  
_

_That music of my nature, day and night  
_

_With dream and thought and feeling interwound  
_

_And inly answering all the senses round  
_

_With octaves of a mystic depth and height  
_

_Which step out grandly to the infinite  
_

_From the dark edges of the sensual ground.  
_

_This song of soul I struggle to outbear  
_

_through portals of the sense, sublime and whole,  
_

_and utter all myself into the air:  
_

_But if I did it--as the thunder-roll_

_Breaks its own cloud, my flesh would perish there,  
_

_before that dread apocalypse of soul._


	25. Photographs

**Chapter 25**

**Photographs **

**April 15, 2006**

**Saturday morning**

Drake was confused as his sweetheart told him on the telephone this morning to bring

one of his guitars to the California Candids photo studio before he and Torey went to

pick up their senior pictures on a delightful spring day.

"Why are you smiling?" Drake asked as he drove with one hand on the wheel and the

other around his fiancée.

"Because."

"Cause why?" He could play this game all day.

"Just because," She opened up her tan purse to take out a piece of cinnamon hard

candy, "Have a piece of candy, Drake."

She even took the plastic wrap off for him. Drake was still pissed off at himself for not

being able to afford the inscription on the inside of her engagement ring.

Not only would it have been over his price limit, but also the ring never would have been

ready in time for holiday gift giving. The fact that he didn't propose until he felt his back

was up against the wall because Torey thought they should break up was irrelevant. He

knew he was a dick for making a big deal about her wanting to put her 'from Drake'

scarf on a winter coat. It really wouldn't matter where she was going to school. They had

to survive as a past high school couple. It was spring. They were going to be graduating

from Belleview High in two months.

Drake Parker and Torey Becker (soon to be Parker) made it past another season.

Their love had to be forever in the literal sense of the word or else the universe was

nothing but a sham.

"Hmm…Cinnamon." He kissed her when they were stopped at a traffic light.

"I also have bubble gum, sour green apple, and root beer."

"You're cute when you try to change the subject."

"Who is changing the subject?"

"You are my pretty."

"I will say that I kind of fibbed before." She couldn't help but blush.

Drake knew it had to do with this little mystery.

"You did?"

Damn. Time goes by so fast when you arrive at your destination when you are trying to

unravel your fiancées cute secret.

"There is no reservation at Café Luna. I just had to say there was," Torey bit her lip as

she unbuckled the seat belt, "You better get your guitar." He would have opened her car

door for her, but she didn't want to erupt in a fit of the giggles if she looked into his eyes.

Torey hoped that Drake chose the Jackson she bought him for Christmas it would go

well with what she had planned.

Most seniors in the middle/upper middle class economic backgrounds in addition to

having the standard school photos taken that were supplied by the district went to

independent film studios to get professional shots done. That's when Torey had the

idea to surprise Drake for his 18th birthday. Unlike Audrey and Walter who were still

going to go half on Drake's (and Josh's) senior portraits, Torey had to pay for her own

because her mother thought it was "too frivolous" to spend money on when the school

issued photographs were just as good. The young woman in her mid twenties with dark

brown hair with a painted on gray streak handed them their computer printed receipts

along with two unbendable cardboard envelopes.

"Take a seat. Justin will be back in a few minutes." She closed the frosted glass window

to give the couple some privacy and to eat her blueberry yogurt in peace.

Why would they need to speak to the photo---

"Torey!" Drake smiled as she sat down on the wooden chair, "A-ha! I'm getting my

picture taken! That's why you wanted me to wear my gray blazer and bring my guitar.

Admit it."

She continued blushing. "May-be."

He kneeled down to kiss her on the lips.

"You're awesome."

"It's for your birthday. What guitar did you bring?"

"One with six strings."

"Drake."

"You'll see soon enough. Let's see our pictures."

"I don't want to. I look horrible. I didn't have a good hair day in neither this picture or the

official school photo."

"You can never look horrible. Here let's open each other's envelopes."

She knew Drake's pictures would come out stunning. They always did. Whereas she felt

like the loser ugly duckling who didn't deserve to have such a great boyfr—fiancée.

What did he see in her?

"Your pictures came out great." They both said in unison.

"Although one of your wallet sizes seems to be missing." Drake said.

"It's not missing. I asked the photographer to cut out one, it probably is behind the

bigger picture."

"Why?"

"You'll see soon enough."

"Touche."

The woman opened up her little window again, "Drake Parker, the photographer will see

you now."

"Make sure you smile."

"I will," he kneeled down again so the woman wouldn't hear him, "I'll be thinking of you

the whole time."

Drake kissed her on the cheek.

When Drake grabbed his guitar case and left for his photo session. Torey took out the

one wallet size photograph of herself that she asked someone to cut out for her when

she made the reservation for Drake's guitar photograph and took out her blueberry

scented pen and kept her thoughts simple.

She drew a big heart and wrote their names in the center. She thought of writing forever

on the bottom of the heart, but couldn't bring herself to put the word down.

Torey didn't know what was preventing her from writing that one simple word. There

were people centuries ago who weren't psychic by nature that had dreams that the

majestic ship of dreams that they were sailing on was going to not make it to their

destination. And those people that slept during the day so they could be up at night were

right. The 'unsinkable' ship did sink and many innocents died on that frigid night.

The young adolescent girl had dreams too. In which she was in a darkened room and

living with her painful regrets.

_A future without him._

Torey took out Drake's pictures out of his envelope. He wore the silver faux silk button

down shirt that she bought him for a small Easter gift along with a special order box of

Super Power Mega Sours that was another of Drake's favorite sweet treats. He

surprised her with a watch. A silver one with a delicate thin skinny band in the traditional

female styling in which their initials were carved in on the back.

Drake always checked his hair in pictures to make sure it looked right, but she always

looked for his smile. She would've kissed the photo but the woman didn't have her little

window closed, so Torey just gently breezed her hand over Drake's face before she put

the pictures back in the envelope including the wallet sized photo of herself.

That is why that Torey believed that forever was really just a concept. Well-timed

engagement rings couldn't change that.

Torey was surprised to see Drake when she exited the small bathroom thirty-five

minutes later.

"Hey."

A quick kiss on the lips was good for the soul.

"You're done already?" She held onto her purse handles tight.

"Yeah. Justin took some digital samples and well…you'll see."

Drake took her to the back room where Justin Singletary a semi-bulky guy with young

Roger Daltrey-esque dirty blonde and curly hair showed Torey the sample pictures that

were uploaded to a computer screen.

Drake posed with the Jackson Open Box JS1!

It was the guitar that _she_ purchased for _him_ for their first Christmas as a couple.

Drake liked the photo that was all black and white except for the brilliant metallic red hue

of the guitar.

"They're all nice pictures, but I like the black and white with color guitar the best."

"That's why I love this woman, Justin." Drake put his arm around Torey as he gave her a

gentle squeeze and kiss on the cheek. "That's the photograph I like the best too.

Although I look so good in all of them."

They would make excellent head shots for what Drake called his rock and roll resume. It

was his lucky day when it was Mrs. Hafer who was monitoring the workshop that all the

seniors were required to take three weeks ago. He never thought of it before, but he

could make a resume ("rock and roll is not a career, Drake Parker.") like a

photographer does a portfolio and include demos as well as a professional headshot,

the latter courtesy of his fiancée.

"They're going to come out nice."

"Yeah they are. Now it's my turn to surprise you. We're going to get OUR pictures

taken."

"Drake, that's a wonderful idea," She wished the photographer was not in the room

right now, "But I'm not dressed for it and my make up is all wrong…"

"You look beautiful."

_Did he really mean that?_

All she was wearing was an effortless dark blue dress with a scalloped v-neckline and

matching short sleeves.

How could he think that she was picture worthy?

When Drake revealed to the photographer that they could use the pictures as their

engagement photo Torey almost had a silent heart attack. If she felt she wasn't dressed

properly for an ordinary photograph then she was downright informal for such a picture.

_Too fast. It was all moving too fast. _

_Stop the world Torey Becker needed to get off._

"I have to take this phone call. I'll be back guys." Justin said disappearing with his cell

phone.

Torey was able to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong?" Drake asked as he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Nothing," she did her best to smile, "While the photographer is on the phone. I'm going

to freshen up my make up."

"Okay."

Torey kissed Drake swiftly on the lips as she walked just as quickly to the bathroom. He

put his fingers to his lips to capture the moment and although neither one of them had

any concrete proof that they weren't going to make it as a couple, Drake also sensed

the long painful goodbye that lie ahead of them.

Iceberg straight ahead.


	26. Flowers in D

**Chapter 26**

**Flowers in D**

**May 25, 2006**

**Thursday night**

It was night before the 50th annual Belleview High School senior prom. It felt more like a

bridge that needed to be crossed. Torey did want one perfect high school dance since

she and Drake got back together _after_ the junior prom last year and not during it, was

something that never sat right with her. She wanted the perfect proms that she read

about in Seventeen and read in her guilty pleasure teen romance novels. It was a

vintage (yet again) strapless pink dress that was floor length, but Torey took it to the

tailor to get it knee-length as to make it look more modern but still keep that traditional

look to it. She purchased a matching wrap because she wasn't sure if she wanted to

show her shoulders. It wasn't so much regarding Drake, but the prying eyes of the

cliques. Only one month to go and she'd be rid of them forever. Of course being with

Drake was enough Torey just wanted every moment to be _just so _because there was

always this underlying feeling that it wasn't going to last. She didn't have to work at

Ralph's tonight, but Drake did have a short shift at Guitar World and that was why she

was sulking in her room not spinning herself around the room in her pink formal gown

fantasizing about how Drake would hold her and sway around the wooden dance floor.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Drake wrapped his arms around her.

"Drake!"

"Did I scare you, Torey?"

"A little." She was glad that he was here and made frequent use of the house key she

gave him.

"Sorry," he kissed her neck and was instantly raptured in her Perhaps perfume, "Do you

want to grab a bite?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Put the radio on."

"Okay." He found an instrumental classical station that he knew was one of Torey's

favorites.

"I bet you are thirsty…" She stood up ready to go to the kitchen

"Not really. It was Steven's birthday at Guitar World. His girlfriend came by with a cake

and soda."

"That was nice of her."

"Torey—are you sure you are okay?"

She put her hands on his shoulders.

"Why wouldn't I be okay, Drake? It's our senior prom tomorrow, not to mention we

graduate soon and have our whole lives ahead of us…." The engagement ring on her

finger was proof of that.

"I love you." He said kissing her on the cheek.

"I love you, too."

Torey kissed him on the lips. He did taste like a combination of Mocha Cola and vanilla

cake with coconut icing. Drake tasted her strawberry lip-gloss as they fell backwards on

her bed. Usually in these instances they'd stop but they weren't stopping. Torey was

unbuttoning Drake's black shirt with the vertical pink stripes.

"H-hey," Not that he wanted to stop his fiancée, but this was rather out of the blue,

"Torey…Don't you want to stop?"

"No," she replied breathlessly, ignoring her nervous body and letting nature take its

course, "I-don't…"

Drake got as far as undoing the ribbon fastening of her green apple colored blouse.

"I do—". Drake couldn't believe he said that. He thought about this moment with Torey

about one billion times and never once did he stop in it. Since he was on the top it was

easy for him to get up without making the moment too awkward.

"Dr—"

"Be honest with me. I don't think you are ready. You are just pretending to be. Why?"

Torey sat up in her bed. She hated the ultra girly pastel and flowered theme. Light green

sheets with little perfect blue generic flowers embroidered on them.

"I," she heavily sighed as Drake sat beside her, "Think we should. I want to be with my

fiancée and I can't even do that right." Torey put her hands over her face and cried.

Drake hated seeing her like this.

"I think we should too—but not this way and not tonight." He hugged her tight. Her whole

body was trembling.

_We may not have many nights left!_

Drake kicked off his sneakers to get into bed with her.

"I hope you aren't…"

"I could never be angry at you, Drake." She rested her head on his chest.

He kissed her forehead and wiped away her tears with the side of his hand.

"No more crying, babe. It's going to be all right."

"I know."

They both fell asleep.

Drake was doing a great job missing his curfews. He was almost graduated from high

school. Audrey knew he'd be okay. Her job regarding raising her son was complete.

Drake had his own opinions and values and even though it hurt especially without Walter

by her side she made a conscious effort to cut the "apron strings".

When Torey got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom she couldn't help but

stand by her bed amazed by how beautiful Drake was while he was sleeping. His

features were softened and he looked like he didn't have a care in the world. She quietly

made her way back inside the bed and giddy that her mother left a voice mail saying

she had to work an extra shift.

All it started was with one innocent wake up kiss and all the problems of the night were

swept clean like the writing on the sand that the surf eventually washed away.

"Are you sure?" he asked, getting into her confident and ready kisses.

"yes." She slid his shirt off and put her hands on Drake's bare shoulders and tenderly

kissed him. "I love you, Drake--You'll be gentle?" Her whispering voice was shaking as

the water of gratitude softly fell out of her eyes.

Torey didn't know where the thought came from. All she knew was that she wanted _to be_

with her fiancée. How damn cliché that it happened on prom night though. She never

wanted them to be a bland couple, but Torey was afraid of eventually bringing Drake

down and into a mediocre life. It happens to couples all the time. Especially regarding

the partners that were "high school sweethearts".

"yes." He whispered in her ear. "I love you, Torey." Drake blinked to stop a tear from

flowing down his cheek while he kissed her on the neck.

And during this time neither one of them stopped.


	27. Graduation Part One

**Chapter 27**

**Graduation (Part One)**

**June 9, 2006**

**Friday night**

They wanted him to go out of a show of goodwill and support. They both asked this of

him from their separate living quarters as a "young man" who just graduated high school

the night before. Why is it that he was expected to attend this ceremony fresh faced and

in his "Sunday best" when he didn't recall his brother in the audience during his

ceremony? Which makes him wonder if the units asked such things of him? Josh

couldn't go to Drake's graduation even if he wanted to he had suitcases to pack. He

had a new life to lead that wasn't in San Diego, California. He was still quite angry and

depressed with himself that he wasn't in the top ten of graduation students at Garfield

High. Mindy was the salutatorian. Her parents were probably livid over that because

second place was never good enough for their daughter.

Josh felt bad that he couldn't recall a single word of her speech. Some clichéd

gobbedly-gook about 'finding your dreams'. She wasn't going out with the basketball

player Seth anymore. Josh felt that Mindy quite enjoyed spitting him out like a diva-lite

when she got tired of going out with him kind of like how Drake was in his pre-Torey

days.

School was over and he never had to see her again. He didn't know where she was

going to college and he didn't care. Just like he didn't have any true concern about his

future education to the dismay of his parents. Audrey and Walter Nichols. Josh gave his

birth mother Josie "points" for not pressuring him on the college issue. She leaned more

towards "the get a job" philosophy rather than "the college prepares you for a rewarding

career" one. Josh was grateful for that. He closed the door to his room and pretended

that no one else was home besides they'd all be going to Belleview to see a "miracle"

take place tonight. Like always who really cared about him? He felt Josie Nichols was

the only one who actually was trying.

"I can't believe it!" Megan doubled over with laughter in the living room when she saw

Drake in the Belleview High dark brick red cap and gown.

"Just shut up and take the picture."

"What was your class ranking?"

"I'm not telling you." Which meant nothing to Megan because she could easily find out

with one swift internet session on the school's administration website.

Drake knew he wasn't the last. He was somewhere in the bottom of the middle category

which at least in the academic world was where he wanted to be. He was quite proud of

Torey for making it in the top ten. She was number seven. Because her mother couldn't

attend her only daughter's graduation due to her work schedule upon Audrey's instance

she asked Walter to pick her up because she knew Drake would never get ready if he

stopped at her house beforehand. Then they were all going to go together. Drake

wondered what was holding his parents back? If they didn't want to get back together

then for the love of God someone should start the legal proceedings and get this whole

marriage over with. This was like watching a horse die a slow and painful death.

"That bad, huh?"

The door opened and Megan clicked a picture of Drake smiling when Torey came

through the door dressed in the golden yellow cap and gown. Hers was decorated with

a sash, awards day medal, and honor society cord on her arm.

"Hey." Drake kissed her on the lips. Drake noticed that Torey _was _wearing her

engagement ring.

"Congratulations, son," Walter hugged Drake and handed him a money envelope. "I bet

no one is more happy that their school days are over."

"Thanks, Dad."

Josh couldn't help being curious as to the goings-on and came downstairs and hid in a

corner by a large faux palm that Audrey purchased at Pier One Imports.

"Okay you two lovebirds, stand over there by the fireplace and I'll take your picture."

Megan always liked Torey and was happy that her brother (at least the one that counted)

found a real love.

"Let's tell everyone." Drake whispered in Torey's ear when he saw his mother finally

emerge finishing putting on her silver dangle earrings from Daddy Spidey making sure

to only say a quick 'hello' to Walter, but not actually converse with the man.

"Are you sure?" she whispered back

"Yeah. Let's do it."

"Okay, gang, let's get ready. Is J—"

"He's not, Walter." There was no need to ruin Drake's night with the news.

"Before we go," Drake held Torey's hand, his body suddenly nervous just like when he

would go on stage at a new venue and have to perform infront of a strange audience.

"Torey and I have an announcement to make."

Megan had her digital camera ready, how could this not be good?

"What is it? Can it wait, son? You guys have to be at the auditorium before six thirty."

"No, it can't wait, Mom," Drake looked at his fiancee and smiled, _"Torey and I are  
_

_engaged."_

_Author's Note: To be continued…_


	28. Graduation Part Two

**Graduation (Part Two)**

**June 10, 2006**

**Before the sunrise**

No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks. At least that was how it

was going to be for Drake Parker. He sat on Torey's desk chair in her room wearing a

plain white cotton t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He was amazed at her natural beauty and

loved watching her sleep. He only got out of her bed to use the bathroom and make sure

that her mother was not home. Even though Mrs. Becker couldn't do a damn thing to

them about being together in the bedroom anymore. Still though Drake didn't want

Torey to get upset over having an argument with her mother over him being in her bed.

A double shift might have been a blessing in some ways, but to miss her only daughter's

graduation left a sour taste in Drake's mouth. He picked his red graduation cap off the

floor and stroked the tassel with the gold toned numerical '06 charm on the top with his

hand.

_What was going to become of them?_

"H-hey. W-hy are you sitting all the way over there?" Torey rubbed her eyes.

"No reason." Drake went over to his fiancée and kissed her on the lips as he put his cap

on her head.

"As I said last night, your parents didn't seem too thrilled about our engagement…well I

think your Dad might have been but couldn't really show it. Your Mother on the other

hand…She didn't say much to me at all in the house, on the way to graduation, after the

ceremony—she probably hates me now."

"Audrey doesn't hate you. She just thinks we're too young, which is more parent

hypocritical bullshit. When she married Spidey she was quite young herself."

"You're cute." Torey wanted to change the mood. She was worried that her and Drake

weren't going to make it. Yeah, they made it past the high school couple stage, but it

wasn't even a whole day yet.

It was a terrible feeling to let your insecurities get the better of you.

"You're cuter."

How could she not be in his black and silver t-shirt and her pink panties?

But the latter was on the floor along with the rest of their clothes.

She grabbed her yellow graduation cap to put on his head.

"We've done this all night,"

"Oh yeah, like you mind all of a sudden." Torey put her hands on Drake's shoulders as

she kissed him on the lips.

"Tassels must turn to the right and then get thrown onto the floor."

"Drake, wait." She put her hand on his chest

"What is it, babe?"

"Do you need to go to the 24-hour Smart-Aid for more---?"

He smiled as he kissed her on the nose. "Don't worry, I'm prepared."

"I love you, Drake."

"I love you too, Torey….I think I should go to the drugstore."

"Why?"

"There's only one left."

Torey put her arms back on her fiancée's shoulders. "You can go, after, we make use of

it. Right now, all I want to do is be with you."

The worry was always there, but it was always during making love that Torey wanted to

believe in the fairy tale ending that Drake and her would actually make it. A high school

romance that left the pages of a yearbook and would be respected by their parents, who

should be proud that their children were all grown up and were good people who

_actually wanted_ the American dream to settle down and have a family. But when she

was alone clutching her pillow waiting for Drake to come back from the pharmacy she

wondered quite simply.

_What was going to become of them?_

She put her underwear back on and went to her desk to check her pocket planner

calendar with the pink heart over the clear vinyl cover. The Honor Society was supposed

to have a goodbye party at Eric's house next week, but she really didn't want to go.

Even if Drake went with her, she didn't want to share him. And he wouldn't have a good

time there. Geeks don't exactly throw the best parties. Eric's idea of a good time was a

night group marathon of Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit game playing. Not exactly the kind

of parties that Drake enjoyed going to. That's when she noticed the bare marks on the

page.

No. This was impossible. Surely, she must have just forgotten to put her entries in.

"Torey! You'll never guess what!" Drake burst back in her room into a good mood as

she quickly closed her calendar and pushed it off to the side. He threw the plastic drug

store bag on her bed.

"What is it, Drake?" She stood up.

"When I was in the parking lot, I got a call on my cell…guess who from?"

He could barely contain himself.

"Who—Josh?" She hoped. Before he left California she hoped that they would get back

together and be brothers and friends again.

"No. Better! Devon Malone!"

So that was the situation.

Devon Malone from the band Zero Gravity wanted Drake's

services as a session musician to help with the unnamed album that they were working

on and only in San Francisco which was only eight hours away by car and even less by

train.

Drake swirled Torey around and kissed her not realizing her preoccupied state.

He picked her up and placed her on her bed. She allowed herself to push the thoughts

away. Like how rain washes the way dirt on a car. It was clean again.

Torey wanted to enjoy this special time with her fiancée and realized it was on that first

night. It had to be. Drake's world was expanding while she was going to go to school—

away at school. A musician's life is much different than a student's. Sure it was San

Francisco today but it could be London, England tomorrow. How could they make it and

what if something happened to make him resent her? It happened all the time in so-

called strong relationships that wind up faster in divorce court than the faux couples that

you had your betting money on.

When they were done yet again proving their love to one another. Torey rested her head

on Drake's chest. They weren't kids anymore, but it was bullshit to think that they were

actual adults living in the real world. What did being eighteen mean? It was only a

number. It didn't guarantee life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

"You're shaking." Drake whispered, as he made sure that Torey had enough blanket. He

hoped that she wasn't having any flashbacks regarding her sad excuse for a father, but

he would always be there.

"Sorry."

"Don't be."

"Congratulations on your news, Drake, I bet you're happy."

"Yeah. Who knows? Maybe, they'll ask me to tour with them."

_How fricking great._

"That would be a great opportunity for you."

Drake fell asleep first. Torey thought he looked handsome and rather peaceful. One

thing was for certain if their relationship was going to be together forever and all of the

fluff that little girls are promised from the media then it had to be carefully woven

together from the finest of threads. She wouldn't get in the way of his dreams. It was as

simple as that.

"I love you, Drake Parker." Torey whispered and closed her eyes as she cried herself to

sleep on the inside.

If it was so, then she knew what she needed to do. The only way to keep them together

like anything in life it was a choice.

The Soul's Expression

By Elizabeth Barret Browning

(reprise)

_With stammering lips and insufficient sound_

_I strive and struggle to deliver right_

_That music of my nature, day and night_

_With dream and thought and feeling interwound_

_And inly answering all the senses round_

_With octaves of a mystic depth and height_

_Which step out grandly to the infinite_

_From the dark edges of the sensual ground._

_This song of soul I struggle to outbear_

_through portals of the sense, sublime and whole,_

_and utter all myself into the air:_

_But if I did it--as the thunder-roll_

_Breaks its own cloud, my flesh would perish there,_

_before that dread apocalypse of soul._

Notes: This story is to be continued in Part III of the trilogy


End file.
